Rekindled
by Jessica237
Summary: EC. She lay in the snow next to him, their fingers brushing as snowflakes melted on their flushed faces. And there, rekindled in her eyes, Eric found the magic that had eluded them both for so many Christmases past.
1. one

**Title:** Rekindled  
**By:** Jessica  
**Pairing:** Eric/Calleigh  
**Rating:** T  
**Timeline:** General season 6/7.  
**Summary:** She lay in the snow next to him, their fingers brushing as snowflakes melted on their flushed faces. And there, rekindled in her eyes, Eric found the magic that had eluded them both for so many Christmases past.  
**Note:** Clearly I'm insane for starting a Christmas multi-chap. But as this will only be around 10 chapters, maybe it won't be so bad. Enjoy!

* * *

**-one-**

Squeezing the bridge of his nose, Eric gave a deep sigh, already feeling the tension setting up in his head. The low throbbing had already begun, and it was only a matter of time before he was pushed into a full-blown, stress-induced headache. Pins and needles assaulted his ear, numbed from holding the phone so forcefully against it for several minutes too long. The voice on the other end was once more going through the same spiel Eric had basically ignored the first four times, and the frustration was evident in her voice.

Well, Eric was frustrated too. When it came to his finances, Eric was frustrated more often than not these days, especially when the problems stemmed from a silly, impulsive mistake he had made over a year before. He held the papers from the rental agency in his hands; he could plainly read the conditions for a refund. Conditions that didn't apply to him – he'd simply decided he didn't want to go. Still, he couldn't help arguing. "I can't get _any_ of my money back?" he asked once more, a hint of pleading in his voice.

The woman on the other end, however, was unmoved, simply giving him the same answer she'd been giving for much of the past fifteen minutes. "_Sir_," she began, a mix of annoyed sarcasm and barely controlled anger in her voice, "if you will remember the brochure, you know, the one you used to make the reservations? It is there, plainly on the back page. Refunds can only be given up to ten days prior to your arrival. After that, you forfeit your deposit and your full rent, unless there are extenuating circumstances." She paused, and Eric cringed, almost hearing the faux cheery smile she adopted. "Otherwise, we look forward to your arrival and wish you a pleasant stay."

Grumbling to himself, Eric snapped his phone closed, all but tossing it down on the table. With a glare of contempt he regarded the slightly crumpled papers on the table before him. They had just come in the mail today, seemingly a victim of the slow postal service. Five nights in the mountains of western North Carolina; the twenty-first to the twenty-sixth of December. Eighteen months ago, an infatuated Eric had made the impulsive reservations for the cozy cabin, his mind dancing with the idea of holiday seclusion and the possibility of a white Christmas. The particular cabin he'd wanted had been booked for the coming Christmas, and Eric had been unwilling to settle for anything else. Assuming that everything would be the same for another year, he'd happily booked it for the following Christmas, despite it being eighteen months away.

He'd planned it as a Christmas surprise, a romantic getaway.

What he hadn't planned on was coming home a few months after making the reservations, and finding the significant other with whom he'd planned to take that getaway in bed with a guy who looked as though he could tear even Eric to shreds without much effort at all.

The energy that the breakup had taken from him combined with the stress of work and that of his own life, and it had been no surprise that Eric had forgotten about the reservations. At least, until he'd received the letter he currently held in his hands. It was basically a reminder letter, with directions from the airport, what to do if the roads were icy, and the phone number to the extremely unhelpful woman at the information desk who refused to give him his money back.

It wasn't so much that he _needed_ the money back…but it would be nice to have it, since it was just going to go to waste. It _would_ be nice to not worry about making enough to pay bills for at least a month…

The more he thought about it, the more glaringly obvious his mistake seemed to him. Who had he been to assume that this would turn out the way he'd planned eighteen months ago? When had anything in his recent life gone as he had hoped? With a deep groan, Eric lay his head on the table, flinching as the breakroom door came open. As the intruder stepped inside, Eric didn't have to lift his head to realize that it was quite possibly the last person he wanted to see at the moment.

Her perfume was too light to be Natalia's, and as she made her way to the coffeemaker, her steps were too quiet to be Calleigh's, and Tara was currently out on a call, leaving really only one other day-shifter that Eric could think of. Mentally he crossed his fingers, hoping she would take the hint and leave him alone, but it was not to happen that way. _That_ figured.

When Eric was in a good mood, he quite liked Valera.

Otherwise, her no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is attitude grated sorely on his nerves.

And she was being unnecessarily loud, at least, Eric thought so. Or maybe it was just his current state of irritation. Either way, Eric thought he was going to lose it if Valera didn't soon stop rummaging through all the coffee cups. Just as he was about to snap, Valera found the one she was looking for, pulling it out and setting it rather loudly on the counter.

She gave a loud sigh of annoyance as she lifted the pot of coffee, regarding the contents with a skeptical eye. "There's no telling how old this stuff is," Valera grumbled, frowning as she poured it into her cup. "You'd think coffee-making was a lost art or something around here." When Eric had no reply, Valera turned, regarding him with a curious eye. "Everything okay?" she asked cautiously, despite the fact that the answer to her question was quite obvious.

Eric sighed. While her questioning was irritating, he _did_ need to vent to somebody, or else he was going to burst. Besides, Valera might be able to help…or maybe…

Lifting his head from the table, Eric suddenly found himself with an idea. A rather bright idea, if he did say so himself. Why hadn't he thought of this before? If _he_ wasn't going to use the cabin, then somebody else could. It was genius.

Regarding her in a new light, Eric even smiled at her. "Hey, what are you doing for Christmas?" he asked, watching as Valera began searching through the cabinets now. "Any plans?"

Finding the canister of sugar she'd been looking for, Valera glanced back to Eric, a look of suspicion in her eyes. "Why?" she asked slowly, searching Eric's face.

Eric gave a nonchalant shrug, waving the slip of paper in his hand. "I rented this cabin, and it turns out I'm not going to be able to go anyway. Rather than let it sit empty for the week, I thought maybe you'd want to take advantage of it, maybe?"

Facing him, Valera leaned against the counter, lifting a brow at Eric. "What's the catch?" she asked slowly, suspicion clear in her eyes. "Why aren't _you_ going to use it?"

With a sigh, Eric gave a roll of his eyes. "Because I have no reason to, really," he said lightly. Valera still didn't seem convinced, though. "Let's just say I made the reservations back when I had somebody to go with me, and now I don't." He didn't really want to get into the details of that right now, even though he knew that with Valera, he'd probably end up going into those details anyway. "Look, it's two bedrooms, two baths, a large kitchen, den, and it'll already be decorated for Christmas." For good measure, Eric gave a playful pout, knowing that nine times out of ten, it seemed to work on Calleigh, at least.

Valera, on the other hand, was not as submissive to his charms. "I can't say I'm not tempted, but –"

"You could take Ryan," Eric suggested, smirking. "After all, I _did_ plan this as a romantic vacation – somebody should get to use it."

Valera grinned, tilting her head thoughtfully. "You know, I really didn't think anybody knew about that…"

Eric snickered. "Please, it's _you_, Valera. Everybody knows."

"Well, even so," Valera continued, still grinning. "I can't – I'm working all the way to the twenty-fourth. And besides, I've been in Miami long enough to see nothing pleasurable in a cold-weather Christmas." Before Eric could protest, she turned back to the counter, opening the canister of sugar. "So why exactly are you trying to give up your vacation?"

Deflated, Eric sighed again. "I booked this cabin for Christmas eighteen months ago, and it's too late to get my money back."

Valera shrugged, pouring the sugar into her coffee in an attempt to make it drinkable. "Well, considering that Christmas is next week, then yeah, I'd say it's a bit late for that. People have already made their Christmas plans, so it might be difficult to fill a sudden vacancy."

Closing his eyes, Eric couldn't help but slightly crumple the paper in his hand. "Not helping, Valera."

Valera frowned. Stirring her coffee, she slowly made her way over to the table, helping herself to the chair across from Eric. "I'm getting the impression that there's more than just that bothering you." Studying him closely, Valera couldn't help but notice the exhaustion in his face. This _wasn't_ just about the cabin, but Eric had been through so much in the past few years that Valera couldn't quite figure it out.

She didn't have to wonder for very long, though. Perhaps unnerved by her unyielding investigation, Eric lifted a hand to his face, rubbing tiredly at it. "It's…Kate," he relented, her name leaving his lips in annoyance.

Valera blinked. "Kate?"

"Yeah." Leaning forward, Eric rubbed at his eyes, feeling frustrated once more. "I booked the cabin for us. It was going to be a surprise. She loved the snow, and I lo – well. I wanted to show her a white Christmas."

"Eric," Valera began slowly, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "You and Kate –"

"Broke up over a year ago, I know." Eric shook his head. "And after that…I guess I kind of forgot making the reservations." Rubbing at his temples, Eric cursed under his breath. "She's _still_ managing to ruin my life."

Valera merely shrugged, stirring her coffee, the sound of the spoon against the cup unknowingly driving her companion up the wall. "Well, it was a stupid idea, anyway," she commented nonchalantly, further grating on Eric's nerves as she pulled the spoon out of the cup and tapped it loudly on the side.

He lifted his gaze, shooting a scathing glare Valera's way. But Valera simply shrugged it off, having grown quite used to that. Sometimes it just came with the territory, but it was a small price to pay for being able to speak her mind whenever she wanted. "Well, it was," she insisted, taking a sip from her cup. "Booking a cabin that far in advance for…well." As she trailed off, a secretive smile touched her lips, almost as if she knew something that Eric didn't.

But for now, she let that train of thought dissipate, aiming instead for the other oddity of this trip of Eric's. "So why did you book a two-bedroom if you were planning a romantic holiday?" Valera questioned, munching on a cookie from the pack on the table. The steady crunch added to the cacophony of sounds bouncing around his head, but he breathed deeply, forcing himself to ignore it. Why was it that every little thing seemed so magnified in a moment of irritation?

In response to her question, Eric gave a shrug. "I don't even know. I guess I thought the rest of the cabin was really nice. I mean, it has this amazing view from the back patio, and the den looks really cozy, big fireplace and everything." Scratching his head, Eric grinned sheepishly. "The hot tub looks nice too; I won't lie…"

Valera smirked. "Oh, there's the reason. Forget the bedroom; you were just looking for some hot tub action. I know how your mind works, Delko…"

Eric didn't deny it; instead, he merely grinned. After a second, though, his grin faded as once more he was reminded of the situation he currently found himself in. "Doesn't really matter now, though," he said, tapping his fingers against the table. The frustration had returned to his voice, despite the little voice in the back of his head telling him to simply let it go. "So what do you think I should I do?" he asked, and only after he voiced the words did he seem to remember just _who_ he was talking to.

Valera, it seemed, had similar thoughts. "Are you _really_ asking me that?"

_Oh, what the hell, _Eric thought. "Well, you do usually seem to have all the answers," he quipped sarcastically, lifting a brow in challenge.

She gave a dramatic sigh, as though the answer should've been completely obvious to Eric. "You've already paid for the cabin, right? And you can't get your money back?" She paused, watching Eric nod in response to both questions. "And you've already got that week off from work?" Another nod. "Well then, obviously, I'd say you're going to North Carolina for Christmas."

"But I don't _want_ to go," Eric all but whined, glaring as Valera waved a dismissive hand.

"You should've thought about that _before_ you made the reservations," she said sagely, taking a long sip of her coffee. "But what's done is done right? Don't let the money go to waste; go to North Carolina and enjoy your Christmas. Enjoy the snow, since you're sure never gonna see that down here anytime soon." She paused for a moment, and Eric could practically see the thoughts turning in her mind. Sure enough, there was that devilish flicker in her eyes, and Eric held his breath, bracing himself. "And because nobody, not even you, Mr. Grinch, should spend Christmas alone, you should ask Calleigh to go with you."

Eric's heart quickened, though he wasn't sure if it was from shock, or from the idea of Christmas with Calleigh. "What?"

"You _said_ it was two bedrooms, didn't you?" _Not that that second bedroom would be getting much use after those first few nights, _Valera thought, unable to hold back a snicker.

"Well, yeah, but –"

"No," Valera interrupted. "This is perfect. _So_ perfect," she said, grinning as she thought back to an earlier conversation with Calleigh. "This is _exactly_ what the two of you need, for more than just the obvious reason."

"There's an _obvious_ reason?"

"God, you really _are_ blind!" Valera exclaimed, throwing her hands up. Lost, Eric could only blink. Valera sighed deeply. "Okay. It's _really_ not my place to say anything…" She grinned. "But because you clearly need the help, I'm going to say it anyway."

"Surprising," Eric muttered.

Valera only smirked, otherwise ignoring Eric's comment. "I don't care if you get mad at me or not; I know it's true, and you do too. Everybody knows that Kate was your Jake."

Eric stared. "My – my what?"

Sighing theatrically, Valera shook her head. "Do I have to spell out _everything_ for you?" she asked. Eric had no response, and Valera muttered under her breath – Eric couldn't quite pick it out, which was probably for the best. "It's like this, Eric," she proclaimed, as though she were making some huge revelation to him. "And don't you dare deny it, because I watched it unfold for God only knows how many years. You fell in love with Calleigh –"

"Valera!"

"Didn't I just tell you not to deny it?" Valera glared at him. "That also goes for interrupting me while I'm trying to help you."

"This is helping me," Eric repeated, disbelief tinting his words.

"Well, considering you are obviously living in some world shrouded in dense fog, so dense that you can't see what's in front of your face, then yeah, I'd say I'm helping you." She grinned. "Now, where was I…oh yeah. You fell in love with Calleigh. Jake swooped in and charmed Calleigh right off her feet, leaving you heartbroken and alone." Eric opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it at the glare he received from Valera. "You went out and met Kate, decided she was an okay substitute for Calleigh. Things got serious – both for you and Kate, and for Jake and Calleigh. And then, seemingly out of the blue, Calleigh ends things with Jake, leaving her free and you in an ever-deepening spiral."

Valera paused then, the look in her eyes just daring Eric to object, a dare which he wisely did not take. The look on Eric's face, however, was that of definite confusion, and Valera thought for a moment, searching for a better way to make her comparison. "Look, I'll make this as simple as I can. You wanted Calleigh, but Jake was in the way. And then when Calleigh wanted you, Kate was in the way. Calleigh seemed reluctant to let go of Jake, just as you seemed reluctant to let go of Kate. Therefore, Kate equals Jake."

Pausing once more, Valera took another sip, grimacing at the taste. "Granted, Calleigh's Jake was sexier, but –"

"I get it, Valera," Eric interrupted, massaging his temples. "Doesn't mean it makes any sense, but I get it." He sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. "You know, at one point, I thought I was going to marry her," he mused flatly, the words sounding wrong even to his own ears. And it was true - his parents had _loved_ her; had been all too ready to start planning a wedding. But would Eric have been happy spending his life with her?

If the glee he'd felt when Calleigh had finally ended things with Jake was any indication, the answer to that question was a sparkling, emphatic _no. _So why hadn't he walked away from Kate right then and there? What he'd wanted was suddenly right in front of him, and he hadn't reached for it, instead choosing to hide behind the semi-serious relationship he'd built up from nothing.

Valera gave a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Yeah, because at that point, it looked like Calleigh and Jake were going to last. Face it, Eric. You were in denial. Still are, I'd say."

"I was never in denial," Eric protested, though the words were weak coming from his mouth.

"Is that so?" Valera challenged, loudly setting her now empty cup on the table. Eric cringed inwardly; he didn't like the gleam he saw in her eyes. "If you were never in denial about how you _really_ felt, then tell me something, Eric." A grin found its way to Valera's lips, and Eric found himself slightly frightened by it."All those times in the past that you were in bed with Kate, how many times did you find yourself thinking about Calleigh?"

Eric gaped. "That is really – _really_ not your business."

In his expression, however, was all the answer that Valera needed. "Fair enough," she conceded, though the satisfied smirk on her lips told Eric immediately just how transparent he was.

She'd conceded, yes, but Eric didn't like the smirk on her lips. It was the smirk that told him if he didn't tell her what she wanted to hear, he'd be hearing the whole story from the rest of the lab instead. Groaning quietly, he rubbed at his eyes. "Okay, so _maybe_ Calleigh and I…"

Valera's grin at his vague statement was positively gleeful. "And that is why you have to take her!"

"I don't – I just don't know. I don't think it's that easy."

"Look." Valera paused, waiting for Eric to meet her eyes. "If for no other reason, then do this for Calleigh, okay?" The confusion was plain in Eric's eyes, but Valera shook her head, silencing him before he could speak. "Calleigh…she's disenchanted with this whole holiday thing. She acts like she enjoys it, but what does she ever do _for_ Christmas? Have you ever heard her come back to work sharing the kinds of family stories you always used to share?"

Valera had a point; Eric couldn't deny that. But still. "Maybe she enjoys a quiet Christmas alone; did you ever think of that?"

"Come on, Eric," Valera sighed, shaking her head slightly. "It's Calleigh. A lonely Christmas might be _preferable_ to dealing with her family, but do you really think she wants that?" For a moment she stared at Eric, though he still didn't seem to get it. "She wants what all the rest of us want, Eric," she continued, uncharacteristically softly.

Eric merely stared, not making the connection. "Which is…?"

Valera groaned. "Oh come on, Eric! Don't make me say it!" A moment passed, and Valera groaned again, knowing Eric clearly wasn't getting it. "Eric, she just…" But suddenly Valera was the one tongue-tied, an unfamiliar feeling for her. "She's tired of having her heart broken. She wants to trust somebody to catch her; she wants to spend Christmas Eve curled up in somebody's arms." Valera's eyes suddenly narrowed, taking in the small grin on Eric's face. "And she will _kill_ me if you _ever_ tell her I said that – after I kill you, of course."

Rolling her eyes, Valera ignored the grin on Eric's lips. "Seriously, though. This is the best opportunity that you will ever have. Ask her to go with you; show her that Christmas _can_ be magic. And take some mistletoe and hang it up all over the place. Front door, kitchen door, bathroom door, bedroom door, random places in every room…"

"Don't you think that's a bit excessive?"

Valera laughed. "Excessive? Yeah right." She snorted. "As many times as the two of you have _missed_ each other, I think you could use all the help you can get. I'd make you a mistletoe hat myself if I actually believed you would wear it."

Rolling his eyes, Eric ignored her, having already committed himself to his plan of action. After all, if Calleigh said no, he could always say he'd tried…even if it left him feeling like an idiot. "If this backfires…" he warned, though his words were far less than intimidating.

Valera gave her widest grin yet. "Oh please, Eric. Just trust me. You will be _thanking_ me for this."


	2. two

**-two-**

Even if he'd wanted to deny it, Valera had planted a seed within Eric's mind. As he stared at crime scene photos, Eric found himself instead tantalized by images of Calleigh, her eyes sparkling by the light of the Christmas tree. As he drove to a scene in the Gables, he found himself daydreaming of waking up to her laughter on Christmas morning. And as he drifted through the motions of the rest of his day, Eric saw himself cupping her flushed-with-cold cheeks with his hands, kissing her with everything within him as snowflakes fell serenely around them.

The images drove him crazy for much of the day, and before he knew it, Eric's feet were carrying him toward the firing range, where he knew he would find the blonde that haunted his daydreams. He found her, just as he knew he would – gun in hand, with a destroyed target at the end of the range. As he watched her, Eric couldn't help but grin – she was an _impeccable_ shot. Not that he didn't already know that, but still he enjoyed watching her.

Simultaneously too soon and not soon enough, her final rounds were expended and she was bringing the target in with the press of a button, and Eric knew that a satisfied grin would adorn her lips as she inspected her handiwork. An admiring smile on his own lips, he slowly began to approach her. "Don't you ever miss?" he asked playfully, sidling up beside her.

As her eyes flickered to him, a bright smile broke out upon her lips. "Of course not," she sassed, a smug sparkle in her eyes. "That's why I'm the best."

Eric chuckled. "Somebody's cocky," he teased, gazing at her as he stood with her in the tiny stall. "But then again, with a target like that," he added, nodding his head toward it, "I suppose you can afford to be, huh?"

Calleigh grinned. "Practice makes perfect," she replied sagely, giving a playful wink. Folding up what remained of her shredded target, Calleigh turned to him, leaning casually against the ledge. "So what brings you out here?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

Eric gave a nonchalant shrug. "I was just heading out, and I noticed that you were still here…" he said, trying to find the words to voice why he was really there. It was one of Calleigh's traits – she always managed to leave him speechless, very effortlessly. He grinned, his eyes darting briefly to her perfect lips. "Thought I'd stop in and say good night…"

"That's sweet of you," Calleigh drawled, her accent thickened just enough to make him forget everything except for how badly he wanted the woman in front of him.

And then, it only got worse – or better, depending on how Eric looked at the situation. She gathered her hair with her fingers, pulling it back and away from her face as though to tie it back in a ponytail. But then she merely allowed it to drop from her grasp and cascade down her back, and the only explanation Eric could come up with for the action was simply to torture him. Why couldn't it be _his _fingers that brushed through her golden locks? Inwardly he groaned, imagining the feel of her hair threading through his fingers as he kissed her…

Calleigh was staring at him, and Eric broke himself away from the moment, imagining he'd probably adopted a rather dazed grin on his lips. At least, that was what Calleigh's sparkling eyes were telling him. He gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle before remembering why he'd come looking for her in the first place. "So, uh, you doing anything special for Christmas this year?" he asked conversationally, trying not to concentrate on how close their bodies currently were. He could feel the heat of her body tickling his skin, but it wasn't as though he could go anywhere without walking away from her completely. He had the wall at his back as it was.

"I don't really have plans," Calleigh admitted, shrugging. "I was really just going to take advantage of my day off to lounge around. I mean, how often do I really get to do that?" Her eyes sparkled. "Maybe I won't even take my pajamas off."

She laughed playfully, and Eric couldn't help but join her. "Scandalous," he teased. Rather daringly, he imagined himself reaching out to her, twirling a lock of blonde around a finger. Just the thought made his fingers twitch with excitement, and he slipped his hands into his pockets to stop himself. "You're spending the day all by yourself?" he asked, acting as though he'd just caught that particular tidbit, even though he'd heard it from Valera earlier. "No plans with your dad or anybody?"

"Not this year," she replied, shaking her head. "Daddy left out for Louisiana a couple nights ago." She rolled her eyes. "Trying to patch things up with my mom again, and believe you me, I don't really want to be there to watch it all go down. It's the same thing every other year, it seems, and I remember what happened two years ago well enough without watching it all again," she said, holding back a shudder.

Eric sensed the rough patch for what it was, and wisely sidestepped it. "What about your brothers?" he asked, curious.

Calleigh gave a wry laugh. "It's a...long story," she sighed. "My two youngest...well, we won't go into that. As for Evan, his wife doesn't really like me all that much."

Eric lifted a brow. "Somebody doesn't like you? I don't really see how that's possible," he said, grinning.

Calleigh rolled her eyes, unable to hold back a small grin. "It's the big sister thing, I guess?" She paused, shaking her head. "I don't really know. I just know that when she and Evan were dating, Evan always used to run to me for advice."

"What's so strange about that?" Eric asked, pursing his lips. "I always went to Mari when I needed advice."

"I _highly_ doubt that you did it quite as much as Evan did. Still does, in fact," Calleigh said, chuckling. "Evan, bless his heart…he was always the sweet one. The most likable of the three. But he was always so lost too. He was never really fully independent until after he got out of grad school. Before then, it seemed like every little thing he did, he had to run it by me first." Her smile faded, along with some of the cheer from her voice. "I guess it was because he always so afraid of ending up like the rest of my family, really." Shaking her head, Calleigh recovered quickly. "But yeah, Shannon got tired pretty fast of hearing 'Calleigh says this; Calleigh says that.' Especially when it comes to their kids."

Eric nodded, locking away the little tidbits on her family that she had divulged. It took a lot for Calleigh to reveal anything from her past, really, and Eric couldn't help but hold tightly to each secret she told him. "Well, it's her loss, then," he said, smiling once again. "But maybe her loss can be my gain?"

He cringed inwardly as the words left his lips – they'd sounded far more smooth in his mind.

Calleigh tilted her head. "I'm sorry?"

Shaking his head, Eric gave a deep sigh. He was feeling more and more out of place by the second. Why had he ever let Valera convince him this would be a good idea? "I told Valera this was ridiculous," he muttered.

"Valera? What?" By now, Calleigh was thoroughly confused. Eric was acting strange all of a sudden, and what did Valera have to do with it? "Eric…"

The confusion was plain in her eyes, leaving Eric feeling even sillier. With another sigh, Eric pulled the papers from the rental company from his pocket, unfolding them as he began to explain, choosing to leave out as much mention about Kate as he could. _That,_ after all, could make things even more awkward – asking Calleigh to accompany him on the vacation he'd planned for himself and his ex-girlfriend.

This _was_ ridiculous.

Adopting a lopsided smile, he held the papers out to Calleigh. "I, uh, rented this cabin in western North Carolina for Christmas. I made the reservations really early so that I could make sure I got the cabin, but then there were…uh, complications. I sort of forgot about the reservations until these papers came today, and it's too late for me to get my money back."

"How do you just forget something like that?" Calleigh questioned with a chuckle, before she could stop herself. As soon as the words left her mouth, the gravity of her teasing crashed into her, leaving her feeling utterly embarrassed. Memory troubles – they were just one of many side effects that had come out of his being shot, and the one with which Eric had personally struggled with the most; the one about which he had felt the worst. And now, Calleigh felt she had unintentionally thrown that in his face. "Oh God, Eric, I'm sorry." She lay a hand atop of his, setting off a spark that flowed through both of their bodies. "I didn't mean..."

To her immense relief, Eric grinned. "Don't worry about it," he assured her, waving a dismissive hand. That same hand he lifted to his head, gesturing at the spot that the bullet had penetrated his skull. "That has nothing to do with why I forgot about it, actually." His grin widened. "So you can make fun of me about it all you want."

To his surprise, Calleigh actually blushed. He blinked, unsure if he was seeing clearly at all, but sure enough, there was the faintest twinge of pink infusing her cheeks. Calleigh would argue with him until the end of time, but Eric decided right then that it made her even more beautiful, even sexier to him.

If he could've, Eric would've kissed her right then and there.

Somehow, he managed to restrain himself, even though the scent of her perfume and the proximity of their bodies was so very nearly enough to do him in. He swallowed, suddenly finding his mouth rather dry. "It's a two bedroom cabin; really spacious, really great view," Eric continued, feeling lightheaded as he stared at the papers now in Calleigh's hands.

Why was this suddenly so hard for him? Eric always used to be so smooth with the ladies, and now he couldn't ask Calleigh to accompany him platonically. But then again, maybe that was the problem. Calleigh wasn't _just_ one of the ladies, and there was no doubt in his mind that he didn't want to ask her to come with him as a friend. He felt so flustered, and Calleigh was looking expectantly to him – he wasn't sure what to do. "I, uh, was wondering if maybe you – if you'd like to come with me," he sputtered, far less smoothly than he'd hoped.

Calleigh stiffened slightly, taken by surprise by his offer. "Come with you?" she repeated softly, biting at her lip. "You mean, spend Christmas with you in North Carolina?"

He'd prepared himself, but Eric still couldn't help the way her answer deflated him. "You don't have to if you don't want to," he said quickly, unable to meet her eyes. "I mean –"

"No," Calleigh interrupted, shaking her head. "It's not that, really. I just…I thought you spent Christmas with your family," she inquired softly, searching for Eric's eyes.

Obliging her, Eric lifted his eyes to meet hers. But the moment didn't last long, as Eric once more became quickly interested in the floor below. "I do – I did, but…" he trailed off, feeling Calleigh hanging to his every word. "It's hard, since Mari…she was always the, uh, light, I guess. She was always the one laughing the hardest, smiling the brightest, telling the best stories. Without her, the holidays are just…tough, you know?" He glanced up, finding himself immediately warmed by the understanding in Calleigh's deep eyes.

Calleigh's fingers twitched, itching to reach out to him, but she resisted the desire as he spoke again, seemingly moving past it. "My parents are going to New York, anyway," Eric sighed, scratching at the back of his neck. "It's Ana's Christmas present to them. Since she moved up there, nobody gets to see her as often, and my parents were ecstatic to get the chance to go." Eric smiled. "It's been a while since they've seen their grandchildren. They keep going on and on about that too," he recalled with a chuckle. "How the only child to give them grandchildren so far had to go and move thirteen hundred miles away."

Calleigh grinned. "Oh, I bet they'd love for you to do something about that," she teased, nudging gently at his elbow.

"Oh yeah." Eric smirked. "It's all I hear from my mom anymore, it seems like. Says it's time for me to settle down and start a family of my own." Pausing, Eric held Calleigh's eyes for a moment too long before sheepishly looking away. "I keep telling her that something like that doesn't just happen over night, that it's all a matter of finding the right girl…"

It was the second time she'd heard the that particular choice of words from him, and just like the first time, it still sent shivers racing down Calleigh's spine. The significance was not lost on her, and the idea of starting a family with Eric made her heartbeat quicken, despite all the reservations she still carried about having children of her own.

Before the silence could carry on for too long, Eric cleared his throat, hearing Valera's words to him once more ringing in his ears. "I just thought you might like to get away for the holiday, if you didn't have any plans already." He shrugged, flashing Calleigh his signature, knee-weakening grin. "Besides, nobody should really be alone on Christmas," he added quietly.

The warmth in his words was undeniable, and Calleigh couldn't help but feel her defenses melt away. Suddenly, she felt her mind assaulted with images; images she'd only entertained during her most secret daydreams. Cuddling with Eric beneath an oversized blanket while the fire crackled warmly in the fireplace, waking up in his warm arms on Christmas morning, waking up to the feel of his soft lips along her skin…they were images that made her shiver with desire.

Her silence, however, had been interpreted differently, and Eric found himself suddenly suffocating in the tiny room. It seemed the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife; maybe they _weren't_ as close as Eric had always thought…or maybe that was the problem. Maybe they were too close; maybe this trip could only end in awkward disaster, and Calleigh had simply had the forethought to realize that beforehand.

"You know," Eric backtracked softly, unable to ignore the feeling of rejection bubbling up within him. He'd _known_ this was ridiculous; he'd _known_ it wouldn't be like Calleigh to simply go away with him at barely a moment's notice, but even knowing all that, Eric had not prepared himself for the way it would feel when she did say no. He felt a mere two inches tall; he felt his heart had been crushed beneath Calleigh's heels. He swallowed, forcing himself to meet Calleigh's eyes – her _beautiful_ eyes. "Forget I asked," he said dismissively, hoping he'd succeeded in sounding indifferent while in reality his heart was aching. "It's last minute, and it's silly anyway…"

"Eric –"

Eric forced a smile. "Look, I'll see you tomorrow," he said, already pushing himself toward the door. "Night, Cal."

"You didn't even give me a chance to say I'd go with you," Calleigh called out softly, effectively stopping Eric in his tracks.

"What?" Turning back to her, Eric was sure the disbelief was written on his face, but at the moment, he didn't care. Had he just heard her correctly?

Calleigh grinned, and Eric would swear her cheeks once more held that slight pink tint. "I want to go with you."

"You do?" Some of the shock had worn off, and mentally he cursed himself – he'd sounded way too giddy about that prospect. "Really?"

The giggle that escaped Calleigh's lips nearly brought Eric to his knees. "I do," she replied, sounding so sure of herself that Eric couldn't help but grin widely. She gave a sheepish shrug, glancing briefly to the floor before. "I've always kind of had this fantasy about a white Christmas – you don't know how badly I used to wish for that when I was a kid, despite where I grew up," she remembered, chuckling lightly. "It'd be nice to experience that for once, you know?" She shrugged again, feeling a shiver race down her spine as Eric slowly made his way back to her. "Plus, that other thing you said…that's true too."

"Which thing?" Eric asked, feeling as though Christmas had come early this year. It was amazing how a single _yes_ from Calleigh could take him from the darkest of doldrums and lift him to where he felt like yelling from the rooftops with joy.

Calleigh smiled, feeling uncharacteristically shy as she lifted her eyes to meet his. "You know, that thing you said a few minutes ago," she pressed, unable to figure out if Eric really didn't follow, or if he just wanted to hear her say it out loud. She sighed, feeling the heat once more rush to her cheeks – it was ridiculous how easily Eric could make her blush. "You're right. Nobody should be alone on Christmas."

And though she stubbornly refused to voice the idea, there was really nobody else that Calleigh would rather spend her Christmas with.


	3. three

**-three-**

The drive from the airport had taken a bit longer than Eric had anticipated, but he wasn't complaining, not when he had the sight beside him to keep him contented. Sometime during the winding path through the mountains, Calleigh had drifted off, her angelic face turned slightly toward Eric. It was all he could do to keep his eyes on the road in front of him – while the mountains all covered in snow held their own mystical beauty, they had nothing on the sleeping woman beside him.

Eric had been utterly content from the moment that the airplane had passed over the Georgia border. Apparently long rides in any vehicle made Calleigh drowsy, and as they'd been in the air a few hours before, he'd had the pleasure of allowing his shoulder to be her pillow. It had been the perfect fit, too – her head laying atop his shoulder, nestled comfortably in the crook of his neck. And Eric, with a lazy smile on his lips, had only just rested his own head lightly atop hers and closed his eyes when the announcement of their descent was made.

And Calleigh had awoken, a quiet, sheepish smile on her lips as she realized just where she had fallen asleep.

No matter where she dozed off, Calleigh always seemed to make any situation look so much more comfortable than it actually was. She looked so peaceful, and Eric realized she probably was, thanks to the heated seats in the SUV he had rented. It was a secret pleasure of his, watching her sleep; and not one he got to partake in very often. When her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow and serene, Calleigh had an innocent look about her that made it feel like the worst crime committable to wake her while she slept.

It was the slight worry that filled his mind as he pulled into the small driveway and shut off the ignition, but Eric gave a small sigh as Calleigh began to wake on her own. He couldn't help but study her intently as she began to stir, a quiet whimper leaving her lips as she did. Her eyes fluttered softly as she slowly returned to consciousness, and Eric took in the momentary look of confusion on her face as she gazed curiously at their surroundings.

It _was,_ after all, different than anything Calleigh had ever seen before. The quaint cabin before them looked like something directly out of a Christmas card; snow covered the roof, and icicles hung from the edges, glittering in the late afternoon sunlight. All the trees were covered in white, making the view of the mountains in the background all the more breathtaking. The confusion in her eyes soon gave way to awe and appreciation, and with a smile on his own lips, Eric reached out to her, gently brushing his knuckles over the top of her hand. "Hey, sleeping beauty," he teased. "Nice nap?"

Calleigh stretched, yawning softly. "Yeah," she replied, a soft frown on her lips. "I didn't mean to doze off, though – I wanted to stay awake for the drive."

Eric nodded, understanding exactly what she meant. "It _was_ pretty…but don't worry, you'll get another chance on the way out."

But Calleigh didn't want to think about leaving so soon – they had only just gotten there. She suddenly felt like a wide-eyed child on Christmas morning, and the only explanation she could come up with was the beautiful scenery that surrounded them. "Well, what are we waiting for?" she asked, her eyes sparkling as she unfastened her seatbelt.

Her hand was already on the door handle when Eric reached out, gently tapping her shoulder. "You, uh, might want to bundle up first," he suggested, a teasing smile on his lips. He tilted his head toward her bag in the floor, the one that held her hat, scarf, and gloves. "We're not quite in Miami anymore, after all."

"I knew that," Calleigh replied, playfully defensive. She ignored the smirk on Eric's lips as she pulled the necessary items from her bag and bundled up. But even so, she wasn't prepared for the blast of cold air that hit her as soon as she stepped from the warmth of the SUV.

The shock must've shown on her face as she walked around to the back. Eric took one look and smirked, two smug words leaving his lips as he opened the back of the vehicle. "Told you."

Calleigh narrowed her eyes, but otherwise ignored him and chose instead to wander a small distance down the driveway, smiling to herself as the snow crunched under her boots. It wasn't new snow; it was clear even to Calleigh that what remained on the ground was two, maybe three days old. With a sigh, she lifted her eyes skyward, hoping to find clouds in the west – a promise of new snow.

But she wasn't disappointed with what she found instead. Calleigh couldn't help but give a small gasp as she gazed into the sky, the bluest she had ever seen. The late afternoon sun shone in the southwest sky, so unlike the Miami sun. It simply looked…cold was the only word Calleigh could use to describe it. The light remained bright, but there was just a coldness in the air, something that never filled the Miami atmosphere. It was hard to describe, and Calleigh quickly gave up on it as the cold seeped slowly into her winter clothes.

"What are you looking at?" Eric called from behind her, an amused lilt to his smooth voice.

Calleigh turned back to him, smiling brightly. "Nothing," she replied, glancing once more upward. "I just don't think I've ever seen the sky this blue before."

"The ground is covered with snow, but it's the blue sky that you're fascinated with," Eric teased, pulling their bags from the back of the vehicle.

Calleigh smirked, shuffling her feet in the snow for good measure. The crunch beneath her boots was oddly satisfying, and Calleigh couldn't help but grin as she walked back to join Eric. "I don't know – it just seems so much different than back home, you know?" she reasoned, taking her bags from Eric. "It's just…"

"Cleaner," Eric supplied, knowing exactly what she meant despite his teasing. And it wasn't just the sky; everything about the secluded mountain hideaway seemed so much cleaner, purer. There was no city pollution, and there was a serene quietness about the area that simply floored him. Having grown used to the loud, raucous nature of greater Miami, this was literally a shock to the system. He grinned at his still fascinated companion, unable to stop himself as he became just as fascinated with her as she was with the surroundings.

Either she had done some last minute shopping, or Calleigh had been secretly preparing for a trip like this for awhile. It didn't seem that she had any lack of winter clothes, clothes that she wouldn't ever need in Miami. Her tiny body was bundled in a stylish, dark grey peacoat, and Eric knew she'd also brought along a larger, more practical coat should they get some significant snowfall. Atop her blonde head she wore a deep green, knit hat that served to bring out the emerald in her eyes, especially when she laughed. Around her neck was the matching green scarf, and Eric deduced that they'd come in a set together as he discovered the green gloves covering her tiny hands.

Eric had certainly gazed at his fair share of scantily-clad Miami women, but he had to admit that the sight accompanying him now easily outdid all those other women. Bundled up, Calleigh looked nothing less than utterly adorable, and Eric wanted nothing more than to spin her around and kiss her until they both tumbled to the snow in a tangled mass of limbs. And then he'd kiss her some more.

He couldn't help but watch her every move as she carried her things toward the cabin. His eyes followed her long blonde hair as it cascaded down her back, and he couldn't help but continue appreciatively downward, his gaze lingering on the sway of her hips. With a smile on his lips, he turned back to the vehicle to retrieve his own bags, unable to stop himself from delving somewhat into the realm of fantasy.

_Somehow he'd managed to maneuver them both into the cabin, slamming the door behind them even as he refused to separate their lips. The fire that had erupted within him as she kissed him for the first time was all-consuming, filling him with nothing but thoughts of her, desire for her. He kissed her hungrily, hearing her whimper as he gently pushed her against the closed door, feeling somewhat disappointed that the time for properly romancing her would come later. But Calleigh wasn't complaining, and so, neither was he._

_Breaking his mouth away from hers, he gulped in a breath, taking in her intoxicating scent along with the necessary oxygen. Stars danced before his eyes, but despite his momentarily challenged vision, Eric saw her clearly. The way her eyes sparkled made his heart quicken in his chest._

_Gently he pulled the knit hat from her head, chuckling softly as the static electricity left behind left strands of golden blonde flying everywhere. But that didn't matter – she was still the most beautiful, sexiest woman he had ever laid his eyes on. And he told her so, delightfully watching the flush return to her cheeks, though this time not because of cold. _

_With a smirk, he smoothed down her hair before his hands went to the scarf around her neck. It had to go; his lips yearned to taste the silky skin at the base of her throat. But before he could even begin to work at the knot in her scarf, Calleigh was tugging at his collar, bringing him back into her. _

_She nibbled playfully at his lower lip, a quiet whisper of "Want you…" escaping her mouth before she caught his lips in a demanding kiss that nearly brought Eric to his knees. He couldn't help but give in, his tongue mingling with hers as he quickly grew addicted to her unique taste…_

And suddenly, Eric was ripped brutally from his daydream as he felt something small and hard hit him square in the back. A snowball, no doubt, if the laughter from behind him was any indication.

He turned quickly, only to find a widely grinning Calleigh, her hands behind her back. "What?" she questioned innocently, though the devilish glint in her emerald eyes tarnished her otherwise perfect halo.

Eric narrowed his eyes playfully. "You are lucky my hands are full right now," he warned, a low, teasing growl in his voice.

Calleigh only laughed at his threat, cockily packing together another snowball in her gloved hands. "Oh, I'm scared," she mocked good-naturedly before lobbing the second snowball at his chest. His hands full, Eric was unable to block it, and it hit him just where Calleigh had intended – even outside of the firing range, her aim was impeccable.

He attempted an annoyed sigh, but it merely fell flat considering the fact that he couldn't keep the amused grin from his lips. "What are you, eight?" he teased, trudging his way toward the front porch.

Calleigh followed him, retrieving her own bags that she'd placed on the front step. "What can I say?" she replied, grinning happily. "There's just something about the snow…"

Eric chuckled with her. If that was the case, he'd trade his warm, sunny Miami days for more days of snow. He liked this playful side of Calleigh; liked it a lot. The smile on his lips widened as he slipped the key into the lock on the front door – he couldn't believe he had five nights here alone with Calleigh.

The warmth hit them immediately as Eric pushed open the door. Calleigh gave a content sigh as the warmth touched her cold cheeks. "That's more like it," she commented, eliciting a chuckle from Eric. Gingerly she removed her scarf and hat and shook out her hair, the sight momentarily making Eric's mouth go dry. But before he could do anything crazy – like spin her around and kiss her 'til they both collapsed with vertigo – she moved further inside, leaving him staring at her from the doorway. "Wow," she murmured, gazing around. "You weren't lying when you said this place was really nice," she said.

Eric grinned, closing the door. "So you approve?"

She turned, a smile on her lips as she nodded to him. "Oh, I approve," she said. "This place might be nicer than my condo," she quipped, taking in the various decorations. Tinsel and garland hung over the windows, framing the magnificent views in strands of red and green. Upon the walls were framed photographs and portraits of snow-covered landscapes, each one just as beautiful as the real thing. And just in front of the largest window in the den was the Christmas tree, topped with a large red bow and adorned with shiny ornaments that glittered in the light.

The den was cozy; large enough to be spacious, yet small enough to easily be warmed by the fireplace at the far wall. A large, very cushioned couch faced the fire, as well as the television mounted on the wall over the fireplace. And suddenly, Eric had yet another perfect vision – he and Calleigh, cuddled together on the couch before the fire, watching Christmas movies as they relished the feel of each other's arms.

Calleigh had wandered her way to the window, her eyes bright as she disappeared behind the tree. Within moments, the tree came alive with many golden bulbs, the lights shining brightly even in the daylight that remained. But the tree wasn't what took Eric's breath away. As Calleigh slowly made her way out from behind, the rhythmically blinking lights illuminated her with an almost angelic glow, and nothing else in the room shined quite like her golden locks as the light reflected from them. "Wow," Eric couldn't help but murmur, his turn to be amazed as he repeated her earlier sentiment.

"Yeah, it _is_ pretty," she replied, and Eric couldn't find the words to express that it was not the tree, but Calleigh herself that he was in awe of.

Ever gently, she reached a hand out, brushing her fingers along the pine needles. "You know, I haven't had a live tree since I was a little girl," Calleigh mused quietly, and Eric felt his heart fluttering at the look of nostalgic contentment on Calleigh's face. Feeling himself drawn toward her, Eric couldn't help but smile as she spoke. "Daddy would always go out of his way to find us a perfect tree, and my mom and I would spend a whole evening making sure it was decorated just right. Our ornaments – there were always little knick-knacks that my brothers and I had made at school mixed in with some of these," she reminisced, her fingers brushing over one of the golden round ornaments.

Her smile faded softly as the memories played on in her head. Decorating was fun, but after that, it became hit-or-miss as to whether one or both her parents would be sober enough to make the season enjoyable. Sensing her discomfort, Eric lay a gentle hand on her arm. "We had a live tree sometimes," he said, hoping to draw Calleigh back from whatever bad memories she'd fallen into. "And our ornaments were the same as yours. My mom still puts them on the tree," he said with a chuckle. "Don't know what half of them are supposed to be anymore, but she insists on keeping them."

He continued to watch in silent awe – sometimes amusement – as Calleigh made her way through the cabin, already seemingly making herself at home. She looked so comfortable already, and it gave Eric once again the heart-fluttering desire to some day make his own home with her. Their decorations, their photographs, their personal treasures adorning the walls and shelves.

If he closed his eyes, he could already see it all so perfectly, and he couldn't help but lose himself in the vision, his heart filling most heavily at the image of watching their children opening gifts on Christmas morning, the laughter of all four of them echoing through the cozy den.

By the time he'd broken himself out of his fantasy – oh _why_ did it have to be merely a fantasy? – Calleigh had made her way to the kitchen, taking stock of all the necessary items for fixing Christmas dinner. With a lazy smile on his lips, Eric crossed slowly to the kitchen, taking in the warmth of her smile as she turned her eyes to him. "So what are you thinking?" he asked curiously, nodding toward the pen in her hand.

As Calleigh spoke, her beautiful accent sounded so much deeper to Eric's ears. "I'm thinking about what we'll need for Christmas dinner," she answered, gazing around the kitchen. "Best to have a list before we make a run to the store." She smiled, and despite any reservations she might've had, she felt herself quickly falling victim to the Christmas spirit. Through her many years of Christmas disappointments, there were still a few years that shined through as good memories, leaving her feeling warmed from the inside out. She closed her eyes, unable to hold back a smile at the prospect of recreating some of those memories with Eric.

When he had shown up at her door that morning with a grin on his lips, Calleigh had felt the butterflies in her stomach – honest to goodness butterflies. The fluttering hadn't ceased one bit; being so close to him for the duration of two car rides and a flight hadn't given it a chance to stop. She felt positively giddy, and it wasn't simply because of the season.

"What are you planning on making?" Eric asked, interrupting her musing. Smiling, he took a seat at the counter, tapping his fingers absently on the edge.

Calleigh smiled. "I want to try and make some of what we always used to have when I was a kid," she explained, penning the details out on a small pad of paper. "And then we'll need some sweets, and other stuff."

Eric smirked. "We'll _need_ sweets?"

"Well, yeah," Calleigh said, as though it were the most obvious idea ever. "What's Christmas without Christmas cookies? Plus, there's a spice cake recipe that I got from my aunt, or we could do cheesecake…guess it all depends what we can find at the store." She smiled, clearly excited about the prospect of Christmas dinner, even though it would only be the two of them.

That fact seemed to hit her, and she gave a soft chuckle. "Listen to me, trying to cook for an army when it's just you and me."

Eric chuckled along with her, taking an amused look at her list. "We'll see what all we can find at the store tomorrow, and go from there," he said, standing. "I like how you're already planning dinner, by the way, when we haven't even been upstairs yet."

Her eyes brightened even more, and Eric had to grin in amusement. He was seeing the real Calleigh; no masks, no walls. She had completely dropped the professional shield she kept up at work, and Eric couldn't help but wish she would never adopt it again. He _loved_ this playful, teasing Calleigh, even more than he loved the Calleigh he saw every single day at work.

After gathering their bags which they had left in the den, they both made their way upstairs where the bedrooms and bathrooms were located. The hallway was decorated just as nicely as the rest of the cabin. A small table stood against the wall, upon which was displayed a small, intricate village, complete with figures of people out and about in the shimmery snow. Calleigh reached out, gently brushing her fingers over a small figure carrying a sled. "I want to go sledding," she announced quietly, grinning as Eric chuckled from behind her.

"Sledding?" His eyes sparkled, and Calleigh knew he was just looking for something to tease her about.

Calleigh shrugged. "Well, it's not like sledding takes much skill," she reasoned, smiling. "I want to do something fun in the snow, and I'm not about to try to ski or ice skate. I want to do something that _can't_ end with me battered and bruised," she added, pouting for good measure.

"Ah, but they'd be battle scars," Eric teased, smirking.

Calleigh laughed. "Not a battle I'm willing to wage. And besides, I'm not going to give you the chance to laugh at me," she added, lifting her bags once more and starting toward the room at the end of the hall."

"I wouldn't laugh at you," Eric called after her, his voice _already_ dancing with laughter.

"Yeah right," Calleigh scoffed, turning on the light and setting her bags inside. A moment later, she appeared once more, watching from the doorway as Eric made his way to his end of the hall, where his own bedroom would be. She hesitated, biting absently at her lower lip before calling out to him. "Hey, Eric?" She waited for him to turn, taking in his expectant eyes. "Thanks for...inviting me along."

Eric grinned. "Don't thank me yet. We haven't even been here a day – you don't know that you're going to enjoy it," he teased good-naturedly. "Besides, what if you lay down to sleep tonight and you hear noises? Noises that keep you up all night? Cabins like this are bad about that sometimes," he added, winking.

Calleigh smirked, her easy, playful reply leaving her lips before she could even think about it. "Well then, if that happens I'll just come and sleep with you." As soon as she heard her words, her eyes widened in shock. "Oh God," she said, chuckling in mortification as she lifted a hand to her face. "I – you know –"

The grin on Eric's lips only widened – he loved seeing Calleigh flustered. He took a sly step closer to her, leaning casually against the wall. "Maybe I should've come by your room and made some odd noises that night I slept on your couch, then," he teased, his eyes glimmering in the dim light.

His words had the desired effect, and he could easily see Calleigh's cheeks flushing even as she tried to hide behind her hand. "Eric," she drawled, and despite herself she couldn't help but giggle. Fighting back her embarrassment, she tucked her hair behind her ears, her own eyes sparkling as she looked back to Eric's smug face. "Don't force me to make you agree to our little 'no midnight tiptoe' rule again," she warned flirtily, just barely resisting the urge to wink teasingly.

She worried for a nanosecond that he might take her words the wrong way, that perhaps she'd taken it a bit too far, but the low chuckle that Eric gave quickly put any worry to rest. "So you're _not_ making me agree to that," he discerned devilishly, lifting an eyebrow.

Calleigh stared at him, an incredulous smile tugging at her lips. Eric gazed back to her, the challenge clearly apparent in his dark eyes. She thought for a moment, but decided in the end that it was better to walk away, at least while it was only their first night there. Whatever happened later, well, that would be later. The first night was far too early to chance making the rest of the trip awkward.

She was no stranger to their flirty, playful banter, but this little conversation had pushed them beyond where they'd gone in the past. And Calleigh shivered, unable to deny how much she liked it. She wanted the subtle, back and forth innuendo between them to be more than just innuendo. Looking down, Calleigh gave a quiet chuckle, ignoring the lopsided grin on Eric's face. "Okay, hot stuff," she smirked, reviving the endearment she'd bestowed upon him once before. Eric didn't seem to object; hearing it only made his grin widen even more. "I'm going to unpack now," she said, gesturing into the room behind her. "And then maybe take a nice, hot shower."

And then with a playful, sexy grin, Calleigh turned and disappeared into her room, leaving Eric all flustered in the hallway with thoughts of her perfect body enveloped by steam and the spray of hot water dancing vividly in his mind.

And _that_ was sure better than visions of sugarplum fairies.


	4. four

**-four-**

The warmth that encircled her body was undeniable as Calleigh felt herself slowly lifting from the realm of dreams, dreams that had been far sweeter than the often told holiday stories of sugarplum fairies. All who knew her knew the tough, fearless persona she adopted at work, but in her heart, Calleigh was a true romantic. She kept it hidden, unwilling to put up with the teasing ridicule of her colleagues, but she couldn't fully deny that it was there.

She was unsure if it was the spirit of the season, or if it might've been the impulsive trip, or if it was something else altogether, but her dreams that night had been filled with snow angels and sugar cookies and mistletoe kisses. It left her with a giddy happiness as she fought against the pull of daylight, but despite however valiantly she fought, the sunlight streaming through the sheer white curtains was much too strong, much too bright.

Slowly she allowed her eyes to flutter open, taking in her surroundings. For waking up in a place she'd never been before, Calleigh felt completely and utterly content, fully rested. Beneath the covers, she stretched luxuriously, feeling the soft blankets move against her skin.

Under the covers there was warmth, but the more awake Calleigh became, the more she began to dread pulling herself from the warm, cloud-like comfort of her bed. The floor of her room was hardwood, and she shivered just thinking of touching it with her bare feet. With all the scarves and gloves and other warm clothes she had brought with her, Calleigh had forgotten her fuzzy slippers.

Stretching again, Calleigh rolled momentarily to her side, searching out the red-numbered clock on the side table. Half past eleven, she realized with a shock. There was definitely something about being here with Eric that relaxed her; even on her days off at home, she found it hard to get her body and mind to stay asleep past nine.

On her back once more, Calleigh stared at the ceiling overhead, feeling a lazy smile stretch across her lips. Resting her hands under the back of her head, she couldn't help but feel her entire body shiver as she lost herself again in the details of her already fading dream.

_Voices whispered around her in a distracting, dull hum, but Calleigh paid them very little attention, only listening with the hope of picking out one particular voice. She stood, almost completely still as she perused the room before her. It was filled with people, but Calleigh saw none of their faces as she scanned the crowd for one in particular. There was only one that she wanted to see right now, and she couldn't find him. _

_Her heart beat erratically in her chest as she waited for him. Her fingers fidgeted discreetly with the bracelet on her wrist, the only indication of her nervousness. She didn't even fully know why she was nervous, but the butterflies were undeniably there._

_The light sound of Christmas music filled the room, and Calleigh smiled softly, glancing once more to the top of the doorframe under which she stood. It was dangerous to stand there, almost as though presenting herself as a gift to whoever laid eyes on her first. She knew there were any number of people who could take advantage of her precarious location right now, and as Calleigh searched the crowd, she couldn't help but wonder how each one of them would approach her. _

_Horatio would be professional about it, bestowing her with no more than a friendly smile and a kiss on the cheek. _

_Ryan would give her a lopsided grin, but after a quick look to Valera, he too would settle for a peck on the cheek._

_Jake…well. Calleigh didn't really want to go there again. There was no question about it though; Jake wouldn't be shy about it. He would grin cockily before ducking in fast and hard for one of his signature, knee-weakening kisses. Once in public, however, was enough, and Calleigh had long since left that part of her life behind. Her heart belonged to another. _

_She was almost ready to move out of the doorway, removing herself from the possibility of attack, but then she saw him. Standing out from the crowd, catching her gaze and holding it as though she were the only one he could see. The intensity in his eyes was visible even from the distance between them, sending sparks of electricity throughout her body. _

_He was making his way toward her now, his pace almost agonizingly slow. His eyes never left hers; nor did hers ever leave his. She couldn't look away from his eyes if she'd wanted to, and she certainly didn't want to. She was lost in them, and the rest of the room may as well have disintegrated around them – she saw no one but him._

_As he closed the final distance between them, Eric's eyes darted toward the top of the doorway, sparkling as they located the sprig of greenery hanging there. His lips twitched, but he didn't smile, not yet. His intoxicating scent overwhelmed Calleigh, and while she was all for taking things slow and leisurely, she couldn't for the life of her figure out what Eric was waiting for. _

_Gazing deep into her eyes, Eric briefly and tenderly touched his forehead to hers. "You're standing under the mistletoe," he observed quietly, his dark eyes sparkling._

_Feeling the butterflies in her stomach go wild, Calleigh grinned brightly. "I know," she replied simply, resting her palms loosely at Eric's hips. "I was waiting for you."_

_And then it was his turn to smile, looking for all the world like he'd just opened the most excellent Christmas gift ever. He lifted a gentle hand to her face, feeling her warmth resonate through his own body as he caressed her cheek. Without another word, he leaned in and captured her lips in a slow, shivery kiss. _

Calleigh gave a dreamy sigh, ignoring the little voice in the back of her mind that admonished her for feeling like this. She was alone; no one could see her, so she could daydream about anything she wanted to.

But before she could take advantage of that any further, she was pulled from her imagination. Disoriented, it took her a moment to figure out just what had broken into her exquisite was the oddest sound coming from outside, and Calleigh wrinkled her brow as she struggled to figure out what it was. It repeated with an almost predictable rhythm; a heavy thud, followed by a scraping, and finally a soft thump before repeating again.

Unable to stem her interest, Calleigh finally pulled herself out from under the covers, taking a moment to stretch before gathering the courage to place her feet on the chilly floor below. As soon as they touched, Calleigh shivered , feeling the goosebumps break out along her skin. It was colder than she had expected, and quickly she tiptoed across the cold floor, grateful for the small, plush rug that lay on the floor beneath the window. It offered at least some protection from the cold.

Curiously, she pushed aside the sheer curtains, blinking profusely as the bright sunlight – so much brighter it seemed than the Miami sun – stung her eyes, though at once she figured out why. The snow below reflected the sunlight directly into Calleigh's eyes, or so it felt.

She shielded her eyes as best she could, glancing around until she found the source of the odd triad of sounds. Down below in the driveway was the main protagonist from her dreams the night before, and once again, Calleigh felt the same lazy smile form across her lips. If she thought hard enough, Calleigh could almost feel his warm arms encircling her, his slightly stubbled face tickling hers. She could almost, _almost_ taste the unique, addictive taste of his kiss, and unconsciously she licked at her lips, finding herself disappointed to realize she couldn't actually taste him because he'd never really kissed her at all. The disappointment, though, was soon replaced with a hunger for the real thing.

Before she even fully realized what she was doing, Calleigh was dressed and pulling on her boots. The warmth of her bed no longer called to her as loudly as the view outside did, namely Eric. She grabbed her scarf and quickly headed downstairs, only briefly chuckling at how…_odd_ she was acting. But as she pulled open the front door, she brushed away that thought, attributing it simply to a good night's sleep. That, combined with the vastly different atmosphere and the complete absence of stress, and it was really no surprise that Calleigh would feel different than she did back home.

The cold hit her with a ferocity as she opened the door and stepped outside, and if it weren't for Eric outside, she would've immediately turned back around and gone inside to the fire. But the sight of Eric was enough for her to brave the cold, another detail that the little voice in her mind tried to convince her was foolish, silly. And again, Calleigh forced it away, wrapping her scarf around her neck as she stepped down from the front step.

He turned to her then, hearing her footsteps on the snow, and suddenly, Calleigh wasn't feeling the cold anymore. As he gazed at her, she felt the warmth spread through her body, warming her from the inside out. "You going to let me sleep all day?" she called out, grinning playfully. Gingerly she made her way down the driveway, watching carefully for any hidden patches of ice. It wouldn't do for her to slip and tumble to the concrete below. That was an embarrassing situation Calleigh wouldn't be too fond of, even if it did end with Eric helping her back to her feet.

"I thought you might like to sleep in," Eric said thoughtfully, smiling at his companion. That, and he'd known he couldn't possibly prepare himself for what he might discover were he to walk into her bedroom while she slept. Be it an old t-shirt and lounge pants, or an irresistibly sexy little nightgown, Eric knew she'd still be sexier than any other woman he'd ever seen in sleepwear.

Calleigh smiled, watching as Eric continued shoveling the driveway – was it just her, or was he suddenly working harder at it now that she had come out? The thought made her smile even wider, though she tried to hide it as she watched him. And there was the first negative thing about this trip and the cold weather – the necessary coat that Eric wore not only kept him warm, but it hid completely the muscles in his arms. She'd seen him do his share of heavy lifting at work; Calleigh knew for a fact there was much to be admired beneath that heavy winter coat of his.

Eric chuckled at the slightly dazed expression on Calleigh's face. "Uh, Cal?" he called out, unable to completely keep a smug grin off his lips. She was staring. "Calleigh? You okay?"

Discreetly she shook her head, trying to hide the embarrassment she felt at being caught. "Yeah, of course," she replied, wrapping her arms around her middle. "I was just taking in the view," she explained cheekily, making her way down the freshly shoveled driveway.

She seemed to be in a teasing mood, so Eric grinned at her, opting to take a chance and see just how far he could push it. "Yeah, I noticed," he smirked, allowing his own eyes to roam over her, taking her in.

But Calleigh wasn't flustered, at least not this time. "I meant the mountains," she sassed, gesturing off into the distance. "They're so pretty. It looks like there's more snow than there was yesterday too…"

Eric nodded, leaning on his shovel. "Yeah, we got a few more inches overnight," he said conversationally.

Calleigh couldn't help but frown at his reply. "Really?" she asked, the disappointment plain in her voice. She looked to Eric, immediately reading the question in his eyes. "I don't want it to snow at _night_," she clarified, kicking gently at the loose powder. "I want it to snow during the daytime. I want to _see_ it."

Eric understood immediately. "I'm sure you'll get to watch the snow while we're here," he said confidently, mentally crossing his fingers that his words were true. He had suddenly become very invested in Calleigh being able to watch the snow as it fell; he had long since come to the conclusion that if Calleigh wanted it, he wanted Calleigh to have it just as much. Making sure Calleigh was happy made _him_ happy.

"So why are you out here shoveling the driveway?" Calleigh asked, watching as Eric once more utilized the shovel. "When you _could_ be inside where it's warm?"

Eric paused, flashing Calleigh one of his signature smiles. "You did want to go to the store today," he reminded her, melting her with a wink. "Can't get there if we can't get out of the driveway."

Calleigh smiled, removing her cold hands from her pockets. "Well, you could've asked me for some help," she said, walking back to the cabin and grabbing the other shovel.

Eric laughed, watching as Calleigh made her way back to him. "And wake up sleeping beauty?" he teased, adopting once more the endearment he'd used for her the day before. "I don't think so!"

--

The trip into town had been rather uneventful, but even so, Eric had worn a smile the entire time. There was just something about doing something so mundane like grocery shopping with Calleigh that made his heart skip beats. It was so…ordinary, wandering the aisles with Calleigh at his side; so normal, so _natural. _It felt as though it were something typical of a married couple, and the idea of putting a ring on Calleigh's finger had made him smile that much more.

The thought still danced through his head into the late evening; throughout dinner, while he helped Calleigh clean up the kitchen, even while he dried off after his shower. Ever since they had arrived there, Calleigh was occupying his thoughts at all hours of the day, and really, Eric didn't mind that at all.

Feeling refreshed, Eric padded his way down the stairs, following the soft, sweet sound of Calleigh's humming. The various Christmas carols sounded so angelic as they reached Eric's ears, leaving him wishing more than anything that she would lend her full voice to the words.

The sweet scent of baking cookies wafted up to him as well, making his stomach growl quietly. But more alluring than that was the idea of Calleigh in the kitchen, baking, humming, letting her professional walls down enough to let the Calleigh underneath come out to play. If there was any doubt before, there was none that remained – he was falling harder and harder for her each day.

Her back was to him, and Eric smiled, his footsteps as quiet as could be as he approached her. She didn't turn around, but Eric knew she knew he was there – she'd stopped humming just as soon as he'd fully entered the kitchen. His feet carried him closer and closer to her, and to his utter delight, Calleigh didn't protest. The closeness was electrifying; absolutely electrifying.

He knew what she was doing – that much was obvious, both from the cookie sheet she was in the process of filling, and from the scent of already baking cookies that issued from the oven. But even so, he leaned dangerously close to her, breathing her in, only barely resisting the urge to press a kiss to her temple. "What smells so good?" he asked low, his voice a husky whisper delivered directly to her ear. It was a question that could have two answers, Eric realized with a smirk – the cookies, or Calleigh herself.

She'd felt him enter the room; she'd heard his footsteps as he closed in behind her, but even that didn't prepare her for the shock she received as he whispered into her ear. It sent shivers down her spine, and she tried futilely to steady herself by taking in a deep breath, but that only delivered the scent of freshly-showered Eric to her nose. And _that_ was enough to set all of her senses aflame, leaving her with only one true answer to his question – _you._

Forcing that thought away, Calleigh summoned her voice and straightened up completely, though that certainly didn't help her current state. The movement only emphasized just how close Eric was to her. Her back was nearly flush against his chest, and if she turned her head, she knew she could easily tilt her neck and bring her lips into contact with his cheek. "Christmas cookies," she explained weakly, feeling her knees wobble beneath her. "The first batch is in the oven – almost done."

As if their proximity wasn't alarming enough, one of Eric's arms snaked around her, brushing lightly along her own arm. She watched, almost mesmefrized as his hand went for a single ball of cookie dough. He'd plucked it from the cookie sheet, popped it into his mouth, and given a low chuckle of amusement before Calleigh had recovered enough to admonish him. "Hey, Eric!"

Eric smirked. "What?"

Turning gracefully in the small space between his body and the counter, Calleigh playfully slapped at his arm. "I said Christmas _cookies!_ Not Christmas cookie dough!"

"Oh, where's your holiday spirit?" Eric teased, attempting to reach around her again.

This time, Calleigh wasn't too captivated by his movements to stop him. "Eric!" She laughed, shoving at his hand as he repeatedly tried to nab more cookie dough. "You're worse than a kid!"

"Am not," Eric protested with a sneaky grin, though it quickly became a playfully frustrated grin as Calleigh anticipated each and every move he made. The conflict over the cookie dough swiftly escalated into a playful battle, and in the midst of the skirmish, the critical space between their bodies had nearly disappeared completely.

As Calleigh realized that significant detail, her movements faltered, her entire being tuning into the way their bodies touched. Her distraction was all Eric needed, and, seemingly unaffected by their proximity, he made his move.

With a triumphant laugh, Eric caught both of Calleigh's hands in one of his own, gently pinning them behind her head. "I win," he breathed, their faces so close that Calleigh could feel the warmth of his breath tickling her cheek. Taking advantage of her momentary shock, Eric reached around with his free hand, nabbing one last ball of cookie dough. Without releasing her or breaking the contact between their eyes, he slowly popped the dough into his mouth, uttering a low, teasing moan of delight.

Calleigh couldn't do anything but stare at him. Her heart was pounding in her chest, so powerfully that she would swear Eric could hear it – it sure echoed loudly in her own ears. Her lungs began to burn, and Calleigh had to remind herself to breathe, finding herself embarrassed at the sound her sharp intake of air had made.

His tongue snaked out and swept over his lips, and Calleigh felt her knees weaken. She couldn't take her eyes off of his lips; couldn't stop thinking about how they would feel against her lips in the softest, sweetest of kisses.

Or maybe in a desperate, heated, _demanding_ kiss that left her entire body feeling weak and boneless.

Or maybe instead, those same lips dancing an unpredictable path along her skin; over her collarbone, beneath her ear, over every inch of her body…

Calleigh almost moaned aloud at the mere thought.

The gravity of the moment had finally dawned on Eric, it seemed. The playful sparkle had slowly faded from his eyes, his eyes that had darkened ever so slightly with desire, with want. The look in his eyes sent shivers racing down Calleigh's spine, and it was all she could do not to squirm against him.

He released her hands, and Calleigh felt as though her wrists were burned where he had touched her. It was a fire that spread throughout her body; a fire for the man gently – unintentionally – pinning her to the counter. She needed to hold onto something; her first instinct was to reach out and grip his hips, but somehow she resisted, taking hold of the counter instead.

She murmured his name, or at least she thought she did. Her lips moved, but no sound reached her ears. All she could comprehend in the moment was how badly she wanted – _needed _– to feel his lips moving against hers; to feel his arms enveloping her.

_His tongue teasing hers._

_His fingers tangling in her hair._

_Her legs automatically wrapping around his waist as he lifted her effortlessly from her feet, without breaking their kiss._

It was too much for her, the reel of images flashing through her head. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't see anything but Eric; couldn't feel anything but the pounding of her heart and the shivery heat rushing through her body. And she thought if he didn't kiss her in the next couple of seconds…

At that moment, the timer on the oven sounded, the chime echoing loudly through the haze that they had lost themselves in. The moment was broken, rudely shattered, and as Calleigh fought her way back to reality, she felt her heart pounding in her chest from their almost intimate proximity. The space between them grew exponentially, and Calleigh turned away quickly, taking in much needed deep breaths as she leaned on the counter for support.

Eric gave a deep sigh, squeezing at the bridge of his nose. "Calleigh, I –"

"The, uh, first batch is done," she interrupted quietly, avoiding his eyes. "I should get them, before they burn…"

"Yeah," Eric mumbled, his mouth like cotton. For a moment he was silent, watching Calleigh as she made her way to the oven. His heart still pounded, but he held no delusions of it returning to its normal rhythm anytime soon. Not after he'd been so close to her. He felt like the very thing he wanted most had been taken right out of his hands

It wasn't fair. Nothing in his life was ever fair; it stood to reason that this trip would prove to be a cruel joke to him as well. All he wanted was…her.

And he would swear that, by the way her eyes had darkened as she held his gaze, she wanted him too. She'd admitted to _feeling_ for him in the past, before the Jake thing. _During_ the Jake thing. And that was so far in the past. So why couldn't it work now? Valera had made it sound so easy to him – what did she know that he didn't? What were they doing wrong? Why couldn't they just tear down those walls that kept him and Calleigh apart?

It hurt to think of all the unanswered questions. Shaking his head slowly, Eric turned back to the doorway. "I, um, I'm going to start a fire," he said quietly, waiting, hoping for a response, anything. He received nothing, though, and defeated he began to make his way out.

His heart leapt, though, as he made it to the doorway. "Hey, Eric?"

Her voice was tentative, but as Eric turned back to face her, the smile on her face was genuine, no sign of remaining awkwardness. She took a step toward him, but stopped herself, instead nodding to the tray on the counter. "Give them a few minutes to cool, and you can compare the dough to the real thing."

And there she was confusing him again. Was she angry and hiding it? Or had she pushed what had just happened away in favor of returning to their playful relationship? When she didn't want to be read, she was good at making herself unreadable, which drove Eric utterly insane. But then again, there wasn't much about her that _didn't_ drive him wild, and it was part of why he loved her so completely.

Throwing caution to the wind, he leaned casually against the doorframe, thinking over her last words. There was no anger in them, no hesitation, and Eric bit at the inside of his cheek, assuming she'd merely chosen to ignore what had happened. On the one hand, it upset him because he _didn't_ want to ignore it, but if it kept things from being awkward between them…he wasn't sure which was better in the long run, really. Pushing his confusion away, he smiled at her, ignoring the ache in his heart. "Only if I can steal more cookie dough too," he replied, lifting a teasing eyebrow.

To his relief, Calleigh laughed, rolling her eyes playfully as she conceded. "Eric…you can have whatever you want."

Oh, if only.


	5. five

**-five-**

Night had fallen hours before, plunging the cabin into a quiet, tranquil darkness. A fire burned mightily in the fireplace, providing the needed warmth and a soft light to the cozy den. A Christmas movie played on the television screen, but Eric paid no attention to which one it was. His attention remained elsewhere, particularly on the woman who sat near his side on the couch. Particularly on that woman and the moment they'd not so long ago shared in the kitchen.

Just thinking about it made his heart skip a beat. He'd been so close that he could almost taste her kiss, and all it did was make him want it that much more. There was nothing worse than being so close, and still so far away.

Calleigh's attention seemed focused on the movie, but Eric could tell she wasn't really watching it. He'd spent far too many years watching her to be fooled by the façade she put forth. Her eyes might be focused, but she gave no reaction to the amusing parts of the movie – they might as well have been commercials for all Calleigh reacted to them.

She didn't look _bothered,_ but that was about all Eric could tell. Her legs were curled up beneath her body, a position that angled her body toward Eric. He knew how Calleigh was with distance – if she was bothered, she wouldn't be that close to him.

Before he could stop himself, he was asking the question that had plagued his mind ever since Valera had let that particular fact slip. "Were you really planning on spending Christmas alone?"

For a moment, Calleigh was silent, and Eric wondered whether or not she would choose to answer him. If not, he wouldn't push, and he was just about to let it go when she quietly cleared her throat. "Yeah, I was," she replied, her words all but indifferent. "Why?"

Eric shook his head. "I just – it's not something I can imagine, really," he explained, meeting her eyes. "I mean, it's Christmas!"

The conviction in his voice brought a smile to Calleigh's lips. With a sigh, she gave a soft shrug, her fingers fidgeting with the blanket that covered her lower body. "Well, that's you," she replied softly, averting her eyes briefly. "Your family and my family…well. It's an understatement to call them different," she pointed out, a soft chuckle in her voice. "You probably never had a Christmas that made you _wish _you could be alone."

She hesitated, and Eric's breath quickened momentarily. Was she about to open her tightly guarded past to him? She bit anxiously at her lip and then nodded slightly, almost as though steadying herself. And if the movie hadn't mattered to Eric before, now it was completely nonexistent. His entire being was so tuned into Calleigh that nothing else could matter.

Breathing deeply, she forced a smile before she began. "When I was a kid, the holidays were always pretty much hit or miss. There were some that were really good, but if they weren't really good, they were really, really bad. The older my brothers and I got, though, the more likely it was going to end up on the bad end of the spectrum." She paused for a moment, surprised at the words that were pouring from her lips. It was almost as if it were easy to talk to Eric about all this, even though she'd wanted nothing more than to forever hide it from even herself. "We got older, more able to take care of ourselves. I guess it just left more time for my parents to fight with each other. Or get drunk and then _really_ fight with each other."

Lifting a hand, Calleigh brushed a lock of blonde back from her face. "The last really good Christmas I had as a kid was probably when I was ten," she continued, an admission that broke Eric's heart. "After that…well. There weren't many years that I didn't dream of running away, but I couldn't leave my brothers behind with all that. The three of them are the _only_ reason I stayed until I turned eighteen."

It was all Eric could do to resist touching her in some way – _any_ way. Instead, he locked his hands together in his lap as she continued. "When I was thirteen, Christmas Eve consisted of Daddy – drunk, of course – threatening to shoot his way through the bedroom door – my mom had locked herself in there to get away from him. Luckily they were all empty threats, just a lot of him pacing back and forth waving around his shotgun. Eventually he passed out on the couch downstairs.

"When I was fourteen, that Christmas would've been a rare good one, but my brother Embry was too old to keep his curiosity at bay, or to stay out of trouble, whichever." Calleigh bit at her lip, her eyes on her fingers as she played with a frayed string on the blanket. "He would've been eleven, then, and he went snooping through the house while my parents were both out. I was supposed to be keeping an eye on my brothers, particularly Embry and Aaron since they were the youngest. Aaron still had enough innocence at the time to still believe in Santa, but Embry had just recently figured it out. So he went looking…"

Calleigh swallowed hard, and Eric had an idea of where this story was going. Still, he remained silent, knowing she was fighting her way through this. "I was out on the back porch with a boy from school – one of course that Daddy didn't approve of, and I was just enough of a rebel at that age to use that. I don't know where Evan and Aaron were, but Embry was in the closet, and it didn't take him long at all to find all of our gifts that year."

Despite the dark cloud overhanging her story, Eric couldn't help but smile slightly as he broke his silence. "Every kid has done that."

"Yeah, exactly." Her eyes darkened. "Try telling Daddy that, though. Embry, like any kid, got excited. He sat in the closet floor and opened every single present. And then my parents came home. There weren't many times that Daddy physically hurt me - and _never_ when he was sober - but that night…" she trailed off, her ears picking up on Eric's sharp intake of air. "I was dotted with bruises, welts from his belt, cuts, you name it. I shouldn't have been out on the porch with 'that boy' when I should've been watching my brothers, he said. I had a responsibility to the family as the oldest of the four of us, and because I hadn't lived up to that responsibility, I had to be punished along with Embry."

At that point, Eric could resist no longer. With a quiet murmur of her name, he reached out to her, draping a supportive arm over her shoulders. To his surprise, she didn't pull away from him. "My only gift that year was a small teddy bear from the boy I'd been on the porch with. Daddy decided we didn't deserve Christmas that year, and I imagine he took everything back and used the money for whiskey. And I got the pleasure that year of explaining to my youngest brother that there wasn't really a Santa Claus."

Calleigh shuddered slightly against him, prompting Eric to tighten his arm around her. "The next Christmas was the year that my mom walked out on us and didn't come back, so you can maybe imagine what my last few Christmases at home were like. After I left for college, I never looked back, always spending Christmas alone or with friends who refused to let me spend it alone." Pausing, she took in a deep breath, weighing the gravity of her next words not only to her, but to Eric as well. "And then I went to the academy…and met Jake. And I can't say things got much better then either, but for different reasons."

Eric bit hard at his own lip, again feeling the contempt he'd always felt toward Jake Berkeley. He kept silent, but Calleigh seemed to pick up on his discomfort. With a tiny smile, she touched a knuckle to his knee as she continued. "After we finished the academy, I spent three Christmases with him over five years. And to be honest, it was really the final nail in the coffin. It was what made me realize that spending Christmas alone was the only way I wouldn't…" She hesitated. "Get hurt."

And at that statement, Eric couldn't help but speak up. "It wasn't like…home, was it?" To his relief, Calleigh was quick to answer.

"No, it wasn't like that, not at all," she insisted, shaking her head. "If it had been, I could've walked away – I didn't have my baby brothers to think about in that situation. It was just that it was the same hit-or-miss thing I'd grown up with." Pausing, she gave a deep sigh. "I feel like I've spent so much of those years worrying about him, wishing he would come home." She shook her head, and Eric swallowed the sudden surge of jealousy that had crept up into him. "I said three Christmases over five years," she continued, and Eric watched as she fidgeted with the bracelet on her right wrist. "That's because for two of those Christmases, he was gone on assignment, and I – I wasn't sure he was ever coming back. I didn't hear from him at all for so many months; I just knew that he was dead, and that certainly didn't add any cheer to my holidays."

She hesitated, and all Eric wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and never let her go. She looked so fragile beside him, and Eric couldn't help but feel the sour taste of guilt rise up in the back of his throat. This trip was supposed to be a good time, and he'd had to open his mouth and push her into those unwelcome memories of the past. "I'm sorry I asked," he whispered softly, the remorse plain in his words.

Calleigh shook her head. "No, it's okay," she insisted, offering him a small smile as reassurance before continuing."I spent two Christmases wondering and worrying if Jake was going to ever make it home, let alone for Christmas. And then the other three Christmases…I couldn't be happy. I just _knew _that the moment I started to really enjoy things would be the moment that he'd get that phone call sending him to God knows where for some unknown amount of time. I just…it was hard. I cared about him; I wanted things to work out, but…" She trailed off, suddenly unsure of herself.

"Were you in love with him?" Eric asked quietly, hating himself for the contempt that leaked through in his words. The words had tumbled from his lips before he could think about him, and as soon as they reached his ears he wanted nothing more than to take them back. He wasn't sure he could handle the answer, especially if there were lingering feelings - even though that was something he highly doubted at this point.

For a long moment, Calleigh was silent. Closing her eyes, she bit at her lip. She knew irrevocably the answer to that question _now,_ but somehow, Calleigh knew that wasn't exactly what Eric was asking. She didn't know _why_ he was asking anyway, but she knew that nothing less than the truth would suffice. "At one time, I think so," she whispered, wincing at the noticeable way Eric tensed beside her. "And I was just naïve enough to think that maybe we could get that back again, but it was different the second time around." She pulled away from him slightly then, waiting for him to meet her eyes before continuing. "It was different this time because…well…"

She didn't elaborate further, but everything Eric needed to understand was right there in her crystal clear, emerald eyes, and it was enough to put a smile back at his lips. It was different the second time because of _him._ Because there were stronger feelings between them, reciprocated feelings, even if Calleigh had never uttered the words aloud. She didn't have to. It was different the second time because there _weren't_ any lingering feelings - her heart at that point had already been stolen by Eric. Or freely given - either way, it was the same outcome.

After a moment, she finally broke the contact between their eyes, looking back to her hands. "This is the first time I've actually admitted any of this out loud," she murmured, once again relaxing into Eric's touch as his arm once more draped around her shoulders. "What we had way back then meant so much to me, and when he just walked away from me for the last time…it hurt more than anything else ever had," she finished, her voice just a breath above a whisper. "It happened two weeks before Christmas, and he just threw what we had away, along with everything else that he'd tossed aside."

Her words, spoken with such raw emotion and honesty, were breaking Eric's heart. One thing was for certain - he wanted to _kill_ Jake. Twisting his head, Eric breathed her in, thankful at least that she hadn't been as hurt the second time around…perhaps because she'd had him."Can you forgive me for saying something I need to say?" he asked quietly.

She looked up at him, inquisition in her eyes. "What is it?"

Eric's eyes were serious as he spoke. "Jake is a complete ass for breaking your heart."

Calleigh couldn't help but smile softly at his conviction. What touched her to the core, however, was not the quiet words that left his lips, but the solid, determined declaration present in his deep, dark eyes.

_I'll never break your heart._

It warmed her from the inside, sparking up the previously resting butterflies in her stomach. Eric was…there was no other word for it, really. He was perfect. He loved fully and completely; he was there with everything he had. And the fact that he wanted to give that to her simply blew her away.

Her voice was quiet, soft as she uttered the companion statement to his previous proclamation. "Kate's a fool for letting you go."

"No," Eric countered quietly, almost immediately. "_I_ was the fool for thinking…"

He trailed off, unsure of the right words. How he'd ever thought any woman would help him move on from Calleigh was a mystery. It just wasn't possible, not considering how deeply he'd fallen for her. She had his heart; it could belong to no one else.

In reality, it had been a halfhearted attempt to feel something after Calleigh had left with Jake that night so long ago. He'd wanted to move on, to forget, even while he knew the whole time that it wasn't really possible.

The question was plain in Calleigh's eyes, and Eric sighed deeply. She'd given him her Jake story; perhaps now it was time she knew exactly why he'd been the fool in his side of the story. "I let her…play with my mind, I guess," Eric began, allowing a scornful, quiet chuckle to leave his lips. "Kate was a…manipulative bitch. The only difference between her and Carmen Henney is that Kate at least never tried to take what little bit of money I did have. Instead, she just went after my dignity.

"My family _loved _her," he continued. "She had everybody wrapped around her little finger. Everybody." Eric shook his head as he let out a deep sigh. "Ana would come down from New York, and she and Kate would go shopping together and exchange stories about whatever women talk about all the time, like they were the best of friends. She was able to make my dad laugh, and nobody does that. And my mom, who has _never_ approved of any of my girlfriends, was treating Kate like her own daughter. She got my entire family to love her."

"Even you?" Calleigh asked softly, and had Eric been less in tune to every subtle nuance about this woman, her true question would've sailed right over his head. It seemed like an obvious answer – after all, Kate _had_ been Eric's girlfriend. But that wasn't what Calleigh was asking , and Eric knew that immediately.

In essence, her question was the exact same as the one he'd asked her earlier. "I liked to think I loved her," he replied slowly, watching Calleigh's face for any sign of reaction, but observing none.

But what he could see was only that which was on the outside. He couldn't see the jealousy that bubbled up within her at the mere thought of Eric happy with some other woman. It was the jealousy that had always been there, before Jake, even before John. She _wanted_ Eric; she wanted him all to herself.

Biting her lip, she forced those thoughts away as Eric continued. "There was only one reason Kate and I dated for so long, and it was the wrong reason. She wasn't what I wanted, but I had – I'd convinced myself that what I wanted…wasn't actually mine to have. What I wanted belonged to someone else."

The true significance of his words was not lost on Calleigh, and she bit at her lip to withhold a smile, feeling reminiscent of the moment he'd all but told her she was the _right girl._ She ducked her head, though, as Eric continued. "My mom, though, she thought Kate was perfect. She wanted me to marry her," Eric said quietly, feeling Calleigh shift next to him. "She wanted to plan this huge Catholic wedding – it was all I heard from her for months. 'Settle down, _mi hijo_. It's time to start your own family.' Problem was, Kate wasn't who I wanted any of that with…and I guess she just didn't want it with me either."

Calleigh had heard the rumors, but she'd never heard the true story from Eric himself. "What happened?" she asked gently.

"I came home from work one night – I was running late, and I'd called her earlier to say I wasn't sure when I'd be home, if I'd be home." He paused, a scornful chuckle falling from his lips. "Well, I came home, alright. Came home and found her in _my_ bed with a man who looked as though he'd come straight from the NFL." He gave a quiet chuckle as he realized how things sometimes had a funny way of working out. "I thought I loved her – or I could _learn_ to love her – until that night. I didn't feel anything. If anything, I felt…free." He shrugged, taking in the pensive look in Calleigh's eyes. "She'd trapped me, Cal, and I was just glad to get out. I never really felt anything for her…nothing real, at least. I _couldn't._ Not when she was never the one…" Pausing, Eric cleared his throat, suddenly feeling rather flushed. "I thought I could make it work, but…it just wasn't meant to be, and I'm glad it ended when it did, because who knows where I'd be now."

With the close of that subject, a silent understanding passed between them – the one place he wanted to be right now was the one place he was. With Calleigh. With the softest of smiles, she shifted just enough to rest her head atop his shoulder, finding herself in silent awe of the perfect fit. "Will you tell me about your Christmases as a kid?" she asked softly, searching for something to lighten the mood. She was tired of talking about exes and holiday heartache.

And Eric too was glad for the change. He was most glad for the sudden bit of affection from Calleigh, but he forced himself to keep himself in check. "When I was a kid, there was nothing more frustrating than Christmas morning," he began, the laughter apparent in his voice. "I was always the first to wake up, usually around six, maybe seven if I'd been too excited to go to bed early the night before. And then I'd wake up my sisters, and then we'd start the waiting game. There were times that the four of us just _knew_ it would be late afternoon before my parents woke up, when in reality, it might've only been eight or nine."

Calleigh laughed softly, and Eric smiled, both from the sound and from the memories. "And then, once they did get up, my mom would _always_ make us eat a full breakfast first. The four of us anxious, excited kids had to sit there at the table and eat everything on our plates before we could even think about presents."

There was a smile on Calleigh's lips as she listened to his story. She could so easily picture the little Cuban boy with his three adorable sisters, the wide-eyed, Christmas morning innocence so clearly present in each of their faces. The image melted her heart, and despite the warnings of her mind, she couldn't help but shift closer to him, craving the feel of his warmth. She was hanging on his every word as he spoke.

"I can still see that far too full plate of food in front of me," he recalled with a chuckle. "Toast, eggs, bacon, the works. I never thought I would ever be able to finish it, and then when I did…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Then we had to wait for my parents to finish."

Calleigh smirked, unconsciously brushing her fingers against the top of his hand. "I bet that was just _agony,_" she teased.

Eric kept a straight face. "You have no idea. The hours just _dragged_ by."

"Hours?" Calleigh laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"Well, that's sure what it felt like," Eric defended, smirking lightly. "I swear, the clock sometimes even went backwards." Calleigh laughed again, the sound music to Eric's ears. If there existed a sweeter sound, he'd yet to hear it. "When the last, agonizing bite was finally taken, the four of us couldn't get out of the dining room fast enough, and for once, we didn't get reprimanded for running in the house." His eyes drifted downward, mesmerized by the gentle touch of her fingers along his skin, even if it was just his hand. She didn't even seem to realize she was doing it either, and that small realization put a small smile on his lips.

"And then," he continued, just slightly, _slightly_ tilting his head to the side. He wasn't quite resting his head atop hers, but the contact was there, and that little bit was enough for him at the moment. "We had to be just as patient once we gathered around the tree. The build-up just _kept_ getting bigger and bigger, and even when we were about to burst with excitement, my parents wouldn't give in. Until we'd all opened our first present, there had to be order. Patience."

"Patience? On Christmas morning?" Calleigh asked, the amusement plain in her voice.

Eric smirked. "Yeah, exactly. I always got to go first, though, so that made up for it."

"Because you were the baby?" Calleigh asked, grinning.

"Yeah. Sometimes there _are _benefits to being the youngest," he quipped. "It was me, Mari, Lucia, and then Ana. And Lucia always, _always_ dragged hers out just to make Ana mad," he recalled with a chuckle. "She tore the wrapping paper so carefully; opened the box so slowly. Mari and I loved watching Ana get annoyed, but eventually it got to be too much for us too – we _did _want to open the rest of our presents, after all."

"Naturally," Calleigh agreed with a chuckle.

Eric grinned. "And then, after all four of us had opened our first present, it became a free-for-all. All that pent-up excitement finally got to burst. Sometimes it was total madness."

"I can imagine," Calleigh laughed.

Eric chuckled along with her. "You'll have to come spend Christmas with my family and I sometime," he suggested, yet another set of words that had escaped without thought. "My nieces and nephews – they're exactly the same as my sisters and I were." He grinned. "And my sisters all kept up that 'full breakfast first' tradition.

"Even though we'd gone to her house on Christmas Eve too, on Christmas night we go back again to see _mi abuela._ And she'd always cook yet another dinner that was large enough for six families of our size, and half of the neighborhood always showed up," he recalled with a chuckle. "None of the food ever went to waste, that's for sure. Anyway, we'd all eat, and then after dark, we'd all go out and walk through the neighborhood, looking at all the Christmas lights.

"It was never cold, being Miami, but even so, when we got home and got ready for bed, my mom would make this amazing hot cocoa for all four of us. It always did the trick; calming the rest of our excitement so that we could sleep."

Calleigh moved against him, almost – but not quite – nuzzling into his warmth. "That's the kind of Christmas I'd always wished we could have, even just once," she murmured wistfully.

And then, he could no longer resist it. Turning his head, he pressed the softest of kisses into Calleigh's hair, finding himself as always in awe that such a beautiful, amazing woman could come out of such bleak circumstances. "You know, anytime you want to be a part of any of that, the door is always welcome to you," Eric murmured, undeniable warmth in his words. "You deserve to have a real Christmas. You deserve everything."

The certainty in his words led them into a companionable silence, and Calleigh smiled, feeling far too many emotions at once to try processing them. The feelings that Eric elicited in her were unlike anything else she'd ever felt, so different that it made her question the feelings she'd once assumed to be love. This felt so much stronger, so much more tangible. Real. What she felt for Eric was something that couldn't be described in words, and it was no secret any longer that he felt exactly the same.

She wanted him.

He wanted her.

But was it really that easy? It was the fear of the answer to that question which continued to hold her back. Her heart, her emotions were scarred from the past – like everything else between him and her, it was complicated.

Despite that, there was one truth that Calleigh couldn't deny - she knew the ultimate Christmas present would be waking up in Eric's arms on Christmas morning. Everything else was a part of the past. Her childhood, Jake, everything else - all of it was long gone from her life, her heart. There was no way of knowing what the future would bring for her, but if what her heart wanted was any indication, it consisted of spending every single Christmas to come with the man in whose arms she fit so perfectly.

The end credits of the movie were rolling on the screen before them. Below the screen, the fire had almost died completely away, leaving only mere embers of light, and though she didn't want to, Calleigh took that as her cue to remove herself from the undeniable warmth she'd found where she was. Eric stirred as she moved, and Calleigh couldn't help but smile – he'd all but dozed off with her. "You headed to bed?" he asked quietly, frowning at her sudden absence.

"Yeah," Calleigh replied, stifling a soft yawn. "I don't want to sleep away my entire Christmas Eve tomorrow." She replaced the blanket on the back of the couch, mindful of Eric watching her every move. And then, just before she rose from the couch, she leaned just slightly into him. With a touch lighter than that of a feather, Calleigh slowly brushed her lips along Eric's cheek, a kiss so soft that Eric couldn't help but wonder whether he'd really felt it at all. "Good night, Eric," she whispered.

And with that, she was gone, leaving Eric with a wistful smile on his lips.

It all made sense to him now, while Calleigh was always the one to volunteer to work over Christmas, or else spend her Christmas at home alone. But while it made sense to him, hearing the truth had utterly broken his heart, and that served to strengthen his resolve even more. He wanted to make sure Calleigh never _chose_ to spend another Christmas alone.

Over the next two days, he would make it his mission to show Calleigh the kind of magic Christmas was supposed to have.


	6. six

**-six-**

Ever quietly and with a smile on his lips, Eric slowly turned the doorknob that would yield him entry into her room. The time was just past ten in the morning on Christmas Eve, and Eric had a full day ahead of him. A full breakfast was ready in the kitchen, but before he could think about that, Calleigh had to take a look at what he held in his left hand.

As he first laid eyes on her sleeping form, Eric once again found himself breathless. Did she ever really have any idea of how amazingly beautiful she was? Her hair was slightly tousled as she lay on her side, and a tiny smile played on her lips. What was she dreaming?

Gingerly he took a seat on the edge of the bed, hesitating not as he reached out and gently caressed her cheek. She looked so peaceful, and Eric couldn't help but feel a bit reluctant to wake her, but the prospect of what he'd planned for the day overwrote that reluctance.

In a perfect world, he would wake her with kisses. Kisses to her cheeks, her forehead, her lips, among other parts of her beautiful body. But for now, he had to settle for something a bit less intimate. Increasing the pressure of his gentle caresses, Eric softly called out her name, smiling as she stirred lightly. She gave a quiet whimper, halfheartedly bringing a hand out from under the covers to swat at him. Eric chuckled – she really was the most adorable thing he'd ever seen. "Calleigh, time to wake up, beautiful," he coaxed gently.

As her eyes finally fluttered open, her gaze landed on the bright red object Eric held in his lap, and then the bright grin he wore on his lips. The grin was like a shock to her heart, speeding it up and breaking her out of the final vestiges of sleep. "Okay," she murmured sleepily, stretching beneath the covers before pulling herself to a sitting position with a yawn. "You win."

At her sleepy comment, Eric chuckled. "No, I think _you_ win, this morning," he corrected, lifting the object in his lap. It was a fairly large red stocking, a staple Christmas decoration.

The confusion was apparent in her eyes as she held the stocking, her tiny fingers skimming over the ultra soft fabric. "Eric, what is this?" she asked, lifting it slightly. By its weight it was obvious that it was not empty, but Calleigh looked to Eric instead of reaching a hand inside.

Eric grinned. "My parents always let us have what was in our stockings on Christmas Eve," he explained, unable to deny just how adorable Calleigh was right now. Sitting up in bed, her body half under the covers, hair tousled from sleep…it was all he could do to stop himself from kissing her right there. "I think it was supposed to quell our excitement a little bit, but it always just had the opposite effect instead."

A smile stretched over her lips as she traced her fingertips over the glittery letters on the front of the stocking, the letters spelling out her name. _Her_ name. Calleigh, not Callie or some other more common spelling. "Eric," she began, all trace of sleepiness now gone from her voice. The last time she'd seen a stocking with her name on it, she'd still been a child. Not that she'd looked for one since then, but still. "Where did you find this?"

"I didn't," he replied quietly, a sheepish grin on his lips. "I might've gone out early this morning and found a plain stocking and some glitter, some glue…" He trailed off, though he was sure Calleigh's mind could piece together what he'd spent much of his morning at the kitchen counter doing. The smile that formed on Calleigh's lips was more than enough for him to know that every second had been so worth it. Reaching out to her, he gently brushed a knuckle over the top of her hand. "Maybe you should stop admiring the outside and look inside," he suggested with a playful wink.

Calleigh couldn't deny the way her heart was swelling in her chest. With trembling fingers, she reached into the stocking, unsure if her smile could grow any wider. Her fingers closed around a cool, sphere shaped object, and slowly she brought it out and held it in her hands.

It was a small snowglobe, inside which was a tiny, intricate street, complete with houses and bundled-up people and even mailboxes. It was quaint, much like the small village set that adorned the table in the hallway. It was only a trinket, but it still made Calleigh smile all the same. Softly she shook the small globe, setting the tiny snowflakes inside in motion. As she watched, Calleigh found herself mesmerized by the softly falling snow in the tiny sphere.

Beside her, Eric gave a quiet chuckle. "I know it's just a snowglobe, but I thought it would be a shame if you didn't get to see falling snow somehow," he explained, the words sounding slightly foolish now that he was saying them aloud. "It's kind of silly," he allowed with a chuckle.

Quickly, Calleigh shook her head. "No, it's sweet," she said softly, shaking the tiny globe once more. Setting it caringly on the night table, Calleigh's interest piqued even more as she reached back into the stocking, this time pulling out an object wrapped in soft blue tissue paper. Her fingers were delicate as she slowly pulled the paper away, eventually revealing a small, pink and purple glass butterfly.

She held the intricate crystal butterfly in her hands, watching as the glass caught the sunlight that streamed in through the window. It shimmered and glittered, and Calleigh looked up to Eric to find the almost identical sparkle in his eyes. "The ornament tradition," he explained, tilting his head toward the ornament. "We couldn't have a Christmas where my sisters and I didn't get or make a new ornament for each of us. They usually symbolized something we loved or something else about us." He grinned. "It's kind of hard to find an ornament that relates in any way to ballistics," he quipped, loving the giggle that slipped from Calleigh's lips. "Apparently guns aren't exactly a big Christmas thing," he added, winking playfully.

"I can't imagine why not," Calleigh smirked.

Eric grinned, though his expression quickly became serious once more. "I couldn't find anything else that…seemed to fit you, you know? Everything was all wrong. And then I, uh, I thought back to everything you told me last night." He paused, searching her eyes for any sort of resistance; to his relief, there was none. "I saw that butterfly, and it reminded me of you," he continued softly, itching to reach out to her. "Butterflies always seem to come out of childhoods that seem less than perfect – I mean, who wants to be a worm as a kid?" he asked jokingly, thrilled when his comment garnered a laugh from Calleigh. "But when they emerge from that cocoon they lock themselves in, they come out as the most beautiful creature in the meadow."

His explanation touched Calleigh to the core, and at that moment she wanted nothing more than to cup his face in her hands and kiss him with everything she had. Not only did he always know just the right things to say to make her heart flutter with joy, he _meant_ them too. "Eric, you didn't have to do all this," she said quietly, her fingers tracing reverently over the butterfly's wings.

"Yeah, I did," Eric replied quietly, smiling. "Because I wanted to." Calleigh opened her mouth to protest, but Eric beat her to it. "There's still more," he said, almost unable to contain his own excitement. He'd never felt so excited to watch someone else open a gift before, and to beat it all, this wasn't the actual gift. No, that would come tomorrow morning, and Eric couldn't help but smile even more widely as he remembered the small, elongated box hidden inside his suitcase.

The excitement was finally spilling over into Calleigh – he could see it in her eyes as she once more reached into the stocking, pulling out a bouquet of pink and white striped candy canes. They were tied together around the middle with a thick red ribbon, the ends of which were decorated with tiny bells. "Oh, I love candy canes!" she said excitedly, and Eric couldn't help but chuckle at the way her eyes lit up. "When I was little, during the rare years that the Christmases were good, I used to steal them off of the tree," she recalled. Eric couldn't help but smile along with her – if his simple gift had reminded her of good memories, memories she'd thought she'd lost, as well as putting a genuine smile on her lips, then his accomplishment meant that much more.

Moving almost imperceptibly closer to her, Eric gently tapped one of the candy canes. "They're not peppermint, either," he pointed out, grinning. "They're strawberry. Your favorite."

Her eyes filled with utter disbelief. "How did you even know that?" she asked, smiling.

Eric gave a playful wink. "I have my ways," he answered cryptically. "So don't question them; just finish going through your stocking."

Her smile faded only slightly as she pulled out the final object from within the stocking. The red fabric fell emptily to the bed, and Calleigh looked at the small papers with disbelief. In her hands now she held a couple of day passes for a local ski resort, and while she _was_ the one who was excited to get out and enjoy the snow, she didn't know how to ski. Or snowboard. Or even ice skate, or any of those other ski resort activities. "Eric, I can't ski," she protested, looking from Eric to the passes in her hands. Eric only chuckled in response, prompting the question from Calleigh. "Can _you_?"

"Well, no," he admitted, grinning. "But how hard can it be?" Calleigh narrowed her eyes, once more eliciting a chuckle from Eric. "You put your feet in the skis. You use the poles. And then you glide along. Simple as that." The disbelief was still apparent in Calleigh's eyes, and Eric chuckled, reaching out to brush a lock of blonde away from her face. "Skiing isn't the _only_ thing you can do at a place like that," he added. "And you _did_ want to go sledding."

Calleigh had a feeling she was going to be wearing a smile for the entire day. When had she ever known anyone quite as thoughtful as Eric? She couldn't think of a time. "Eric," she began, utter gratitude and appreciation in her Southern drawl. "This is just…really sweet of you." She was completely touched by his gestures; he knew how to have her heart soaring like no one else.

His eyes sparkled. "That's not all, either," he said, standing from the bed. "Get dressed and come downstairs. I made breakfast."

And if there was anything that could get Calleigh out of bed and dressed in a hurry, it was that offer right there. She'd already decided – in the secret, hidden-away, deepest part of her heart, of course – that the more mornings she could wake up to Eric's skills in the kitchen, the better.

--

The ski resort was not nearly as crowded as Eric had feared; in fact, it was quite empty. If there was anything that could make the day better, it was that. Spending the day with Calleigh was enough to have him smiling, but spending a day with her without prying eyes, without company was the ultimate Christmas Eve present.

Despite her earlier reservations, once they had reached the resort, Calleigh found herself excited about trying to ski. Maybe Eric _was_ right – though Calleigh wouldn't say that out loud – how hard could it be?

In no time at all, they found themselves boarding the chairlift that would take them to the top. It was a cozy fit, and Calleigh couldn't help but shiver as their thighs touched, sending a shock of electricity soaring through their bodies. Perfection would be feeling him wrap an arm around her and pull her close to him, letting her tuck her head in the crook of his neck.

Her nerves were agitated even more as she looked upward toward the top of the slope, where the chairlift would eventually deposit them. It seemed so much higher up close, and while Calleigh wasn't afraid of heights at all, it still made her nervous. Or maybe it wasn't so much the height that made her nervous – maybe it was the quiet request that Eric made before the chairlift began to move.

He gazed at her, a grin on his lips as he gave his soft command. "Close your eyes, Calleigh."

Calleigh's brow wrinkled. "But I want to see, Eric!" she protested, just as Eric had known she would.

Eric merely chuckled in response, and had it been anybody else, Calleigh might've found it patronizing. With a bold hand, he reached out, his eyes never leaving hers as he brushed a lock of blonde back from her face. "Do you trust me?"

Her cheek was aflame where his fingers had brushed against it. Unable to stop it, Calleigh felt herself falling into the sort of dazed stupor Eric seemed to always be able to place her in. "Of course I do," she replied quietly, her beautiful eyes flashing a moment with confusion. "But I –"

He wasn't sure why he felt so daring all of a sudden – it had to be the winter air. There was no other explanation for it. Effectively he silenced her protest, placing a gentle thumb over her lips. "Then just trust me on this, okay?" He flashed her a bright smile, and had Calleigh not already been sitting, her knees would've wobbled violently.

The chairlift began to move, and without breaking the contact between their eyes, Calleigh murmured her one word reply. "Okay." The last thing she saw before closing her eyes was the satisfied sparkle in Eric's deep eyes, and suddenly she held no more reservations about closing her eyes at all. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to. "You're going to let me open them before we get off this thing, right?" she asked, only half joking.

The low rumble of Eric's chuckle seemed so much louder to her ears with her current deprivation of sight, the result being that the shivers it sent down Calleigh's spine left her unable to fight back a small tremble. "Maybe," he teased, his eyes watching the scenery for the perfect moment.

Calleigh had been so amazed by the view of the mountains from the driveway of the cabin, and Eric wanted to show her an even more breathtaking view. He waited until they had reached their highest point, and then he gently clasped one of her gloved hands, squeezing gently. "Open your eyes," he implored softly, his voice mere centimeters from her ear.

As her eyes came open, Calleigh couldn't help but gasp softly. The view was utterly amazing, and vaguely she felt her jaw drop. From where she sat, Calleigh could see for miles and miles, each one of those mountainous miles covered with a fine powder of snow. Any annoyance she'd felt at Eric telling her to close her eyes had completely lifted thanks to the breathtaking scenery. Low clouds enveloped the highest peaks, and the promise of more snowfall hung just along the horizon.

"Wow," Calleigh murmured breathlessly after a moment had passed. "This view – it's beautiful."

"I know something more beautiful," Eric quipped boldly, watching the flush that filled Calleigh's cheeks. It was something he'd seen more of during this trip than he'd ever seen in all the years he'd known her before, and everything within him just wanted to continue seeing it. He _loved_ making her blush; loved discovering all the little ways he could infuse that bit of color into her cheeks.

Once they were safely down from the chairlift and on the snow below, a single fact became blindingly apparent to Calleigh – she had _no_ idea what she was doing. She was completely out of any comfort zone she'd ever fabricated for herself – this was just beyond everything. The skis attached to her feet were awkward; there was just no way she could get used to them. And as soon as she took her concentration off of her feet to call for Eric, she began to lose her balance. "Eric, I don't –" Her words broke off into a shout of alarm as her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. "Eric!"

Eric couldn't help but laugh as he watched her struggle. It _wasn't_ funny, but then again, it was. She was trying every way but the most obvious to try and regain her balance. "Use your poles, Cal!" he instructed, his eyes sparkling.

"Like you have any idea what _you're_ doing either?" she shot back, though to Eric's smug satisfaction she did use the poles to find her balance, at least for the moment.

He made it look so easy as he glided his way over to her, his movements looking almost natural. But before Calleigh could narrow her eyes at him, he flashed one of his signature smiles at her, leaving her unable to do much else than grin back at him. "I _don't_ have any idea what I'm doing," he admitted, tilting his head adorably to the side. "But it's really not that hard! Just push off and go!"

"Yeah," Calleigh scoffed, clearly not buying it. "And then I end up laying at the bottom of the hill with who knows how many broken bones." She moved her arms as though to cross them, before remembering that the poles she held were part of the reason she was still upright.

Eric laughed. "Well, if that's the case, then when all your bones heal, you can break all of my bones for making you do this."

Calleigh tried to resist, but the teasing sparkle in Eric's eyes had a smile breaking on her lips before she could muster the energy to push it back. "It's not funny," she protested, failing to hide her smile from him. "It's _hard._"

"Ready to give up?" Eric smirked, watching Calleigh narrow her eyes. Giving up was not something that Calleigh Duquesne did, and he knew that.

"No," Calleigh shot back haughtily, her head high. "I just…maybe I need a _bit_ of help…figuring these things out," she conceded, resting a good portion of her weight on the ski poles.

"Okay," he said, an idea coming to his mind. He ignored the voices in his mind – the voices that knew it was a bad idea if the objective was teaching her to ski. But if the objective was to be as close to her as possible…then it was by far one of his better ideas. Freeing up one of his hands, he instructed Calleigh to do the same. "Drop one of your poles."

Calleigh looked at him like he'd asked her to drop her own arm along with it. "Then how am I supposed to stay balanced?" she asked, her eyes rather wide.

But Eric merely chuckled and extended a hand to her. "Drop one of your poles," he repeated, crooking his gloved fingers a couple of times. "Give me your hand."

She still didn't sound convinced, but to Eric's delight, Calleigh loosened her grip on the pole. "So I can pull you down to the snow with me when I fall down?" she quipped, but obliged him anyway.

As her hand was enveloped in his, Eric couldn't help but think that wouldn't be such a bad outcome after all. Even through the thick gloves that protected both of their hands from the biting cold, her hand fit so perfectly in his, so perfectly. "Until you get ready to actually go down, it's just like walking," Eric instructed, hoping it made sense to Calleigh. He was by no means an expert, having only just put skis on himself, but it seemed to work for him. He hadn't fallen yet.

But then again, neither had Calleigh, technically. Maybe that part was coming, and Eric couldn't help but cringe. After being so cocky about it, there was no doubt that he would fall the hardest. Still, until then, he could act like he knew what he was doing – after all, he had Calleigh's hand in his own, and even that bit of contact was worth a fall or two. "Just follow my lead," he instructed, tugging gently. "One foot in front of the other. On three, okay?"

He counted to three, and though by now it shouldn't have really surprised him, it did. Their movements were so in sync, so fluid. They didn't even have to hesitate to make sure each moved the right foot first – it just happened. Calleigh was a bit unsteady on her skis, as evidenced by the way she tightened her grip on his hand. "You're doing well," Eric commented, after a few steps. Calleigh grinned, basking in the way his praise made her feel.

He instructed her in turning and retracing the steps they'd just made, as well as in simple gliding, and then he reluctantly released her hand before reaching down and retrieving both the poles they had dropped. "Think you're ready for something more?" he asked, the challenge obvious in his voice.

And who was Calleigh to turn down a challenge, especially a challenge from the man who – well, from Eric?

Ten smooth surface runs and four bunny slopes later, Calleigh was quite frustrated. And her body ached. She couldn't count the number of times she'd fallen, and it was beginning to seem futile to even try standing up. As she sat on the cold, snow-covered ground pondering her future on the slopes, Eric glided over to her quite effortlessly, the most annoying chuckle leaving his lips as he stopped in front of her and gazed down at her. "You had enough of skiing, yet?" he asked, grinning at the look of frustration on Calleigh's face.

"I haven't _been_ skiing," she quipped, narrowing her eyes at Eric's grin. There was very little amusing about her tumbling to the ground, over and over. "I've just been falling," she pouted.

"Let me help you up," he offered, extending a hand to her.

"You sure?" Calleigh quipped, tilting her head playfully. "I'm bad luck on the slopes. I might pull you down too."

Eric grinned. "Luckily, I'm stronger than you," he teased.

Even so, as he helped her to her feet, it didn't help the awkwardness of the skis on her feet. She took an awkward step and nearly lost her balance once more, reaching out frantically for the closest thing to grab.

And as fate would have it, that closest object that she could wrap her arms around just happened to be Eric's neck. She clutched at him as she struggled for balance, her body pressed against his chest. And then his arms wrapped gently around her, holding her steady, but also holding her close to him. Suddenly, Calleigh's lack of balance was _not_ due to the skis on her feet or the slight incline of the slope. The sudden proximity was enough to make her mouth go dry, and Calleigh just knew that if she tilted her head upward just enough, she could kiss him.

"I checked with the ski patrol," Eric murmured, unwilling to let her go. "There are a couple slopes open just for sledding – we'd just need to trade in our skis for a couple of sleds." He held her for a moment longer, resisting the urge to bury his face against her hair and breathe her in. "You think you're okay now?" he asked carefully, reluctantly loosening his hold on her.

"Yeah," she murmured, gingerly taking a step backward, wincing as she felt her aching body protest the movement. "I'm going to be so sore in the morning, though," she laughed, her eyes sparkling.

"Well, that's skiing for you," Eric quipped, once more extending a hand to her. "Come on, there's a bench over that way," he said, pointing. "I'll help you get your skis off and then we can sled."

Not too long later, they stood once more at the top of the hill, free of skis, sleds in hand. And perhaps it was the altitude, but Calleigh suddenly found herself feeling quite bold. And why not? They'd been teasing the boundary between them for the entire trip – why not push it a step closer? Especially if it resulted in her being closer to him. "Hey, Eric? You know what we could do first?" she asked, her voice only wobbling at his name. She grinned at him and tossed her sled aside, motioning instead to the one that Eric held. "I want to go fast," she decided, crossing the snow to him. "Want to share? At least for one run, I mean."

Her suggestion brought the biggest grin yet to Eric's lips. "Share a sled?" he repeated, already imagining the feel of Calleigh's body pressed tightly against his as they barreled down the slopes together.

"Well yeah," Calleigh sassed, hoping it wasn't too apparent to him how frantically her heart was pounding. "More weight equals more speed – it's basic physics," she continued flirtily.

Eric smirked. "Well, you _are_ the one with the physics degree," he said, dropping the sled to the ground. Even if he had an argument, he wouldn't have been willing to use it. Quite aware of her eyes on him, he nudged the sled a little closer to the summit of the slope before lowering himself onto it, separating his knees enough for Calleigh to fit in the center of the sled. It _would_ be a tight fit, but really, Eric could find no problems with that.

Her scent washed over him as she eagerly placed her body between his knees, resting her body against his. And it was only then that the intimacy of their position crashed into Calleigh with a only way their bodies could possibly be more snugly pressed against each other was if…well. Just thinking about it made Calleigh flush with desire, and she quickly pushed it from her mind. It was difficult, though, considering her position between his knees on the round sled. Her back was flush against his chest, and she could only imagine where his hands would end up once they pushed off and began moving. Would he grip the sides of the sled? Or would he wrap his arms around her, holding her close as they sailed down the slope?

"You ready?" he breathed, and his voice was so close to Calleigh's ear that she couldn't help but shiver. Unable to find her voice, she gave instead only a brisk nod. Eric gave a low chuckle, his hands on the ground as he prepared to push off. "Okay."

Calleigh closed her eyes in anticipation. Her heart was pounding, but that certainly wasn't because they were about to head down the hill. And then, with a couple of forceful pushes from Eric, they were off.

And just as she'd hoped, Eric wrapped his arms tightly around her middle, pulling her even closer to him. And as he rested his chin on her shoulder, Calleigh couldn't help but gasp softly. The butterflies were fluttering again, and Calleigh couldn't help but squirm slightly against him. The fit was utterly perfect, almost as though their bodies were made to fit together in any way imaginable.

The thought, innocent though it began, brought a rush of blood to Calleigh's cheeks and a shiver to her spine. His arms wrapped around her felt so strong, and even though she tried not to let her imagination go there, Calleigh couldn't help wondering how they would feel wrapped around her when there was nothing between them to separate their bodies. It was a thought that made her blush with desire, but it also made her heart ache with longing.

It was to the point where she wanted him so badly that it physically hurt. It was almost as though it were a cruel joke being played on her, to be in his arms right now, but to not be able to _be in his arms_ once they went back to the cabin, or back to Miami, or even once they climbed off of this sled.

It _did _hurt, and Calleigh forced herself to shake it off – it was ruining an otherwise perfect sledding ride. Instead, she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, drowning herself in the intoxicating scent of Eric.

Somewhere around mid-slope, the small sled began to spin. Startled, Calleigh gripped his arms, hearing Eric chuckle in response. "Relax," he coaxed, even though she'd been unable to relax since she'd sat down in between his knees.

But as the sled picked up speed, it spun faster and faster, and instinctively Calleigh reached to the side, trying to grip something to stop the spinning.

The movement, however, had the opposite effect. It shifted the weight on the small sled, and as it moved over a small embankment on the slope, it was just enough to capsize them. Calleigh squealed as the sled flipped, sending both of them tumbling sideways, all the while as Eric's arms remained securely around Calleigh. The force of momentum kept them rolling downward before eventually coming to a stop a few feet away from the sled.

Calleigh could feel him breathing, could feel his breath in her hair and it made her shiver. Her fingers were still clutching to him, and as she realized that she abruptly let go. "Eric…"

"You okay?" he asked, laughter apparent in his voice.

"Yeah," Calleigh replied, still attempting to catch her breath. Much to his chagrin, she rolled away from him then, though she didn't go far. She settled on her back, gazing up to the grey sky above. "I guess I shouldn't have tried to stop us from spinning, hmm?" she commented after a moment, her voice trailing into a quiet chuckle.

Eric laughed, and after a second Calleigh found herself dissolving into giggles as well. "Yeah, it's all your fault," he accused playfully, lobbing a handful of loose powder at her.

It fell over her much like snow from the sky above, but what stopped Calleigh from retaliating was the mere fact that the falling flakes did not stop. Even after all the snow that Eric had tossed at her had taken plenty of time to fall to the ground, the shimmering flakes did not stop falling from above.

With a jolt, Calleigh realized what it was. It wasn't snow that Eric had thrown – this was real snow. Real snowflakes, falling from the sky and dancing upon her cheeks and forehead and eyelashes with the lightest, most delicate touch. For a moment, she was unsure whether or not she was actually seeing it, whether or not her eyes were playing tricks on her. But as she felt the coldness as the flakes fell upon her skin, Calleigh knew it was no optical illusion. "Eric, look!" she gasped softly, her eyes wide.

Eric closed his eyes for a moment, simply feeling the cold snowflakes falling upon his face. He could feel the same smile stretching across his lips, and though he hadn't cared one way or the other about seeing snow falling before, he couldn't deny that actually experiencing it with Calleigh, seeing her excitement over it was one of the best Christmas gifts he could ask for.

"I guess you got your snowfall after all," Eric murmured, turning his head toward her. She turned to face him as well, and Eric found himself enchanted by the way the snowflakes danced in her hair, along her face. And as he gazed deep into her eyes, Eric found himself falling even more in love with her.

If ever Eric had believed that snow could be magical, it was right there in that very moment. She lay in the snow next to him, their fingers brushing as snowflakes melted on their flushed faces. And there, rekindled in her eyes, Eric found the magic that had eluded them both for so many Christmases past.

And it was only Christmas Eve. Eric certainly wasn't done showing her what real holiday magic could be like.

* * *

**I know that it's January now. Thanks for being patient enough to keep reading a Christmas story anyway, heh. :D**


	7. seven

**-seven-**

With a smile on his lips, Eric breathed in the warm aroma from the two mugs in front of him. He'd attempted to replicate his mother's recipe for hot cocoa, and if the sweet scent rising up from the mugs to meet him was any indication, he'd come extremely close to succeeding, if not completely.

He wrapped his hands around the mugs, relishing a moment in the warmth that moved through his still cold fingers. Even after driving back to the cabin in a vehicle with heated seats and taking a long, hot shower, Eric still carried a remnant chill from being out in the snow all afternoon, and he knew that if that was the case for him, Calleigh couldn't be much better off.

The sight that befell him as he turned toward the den evidenced that assumption. Fresh from the shower herself, Calleigh had spread a large, plush blanket out right before the fire. Her body was enveloped within a soft white robe as she huddled before the fire, her tiny hands outstretched in an attempt to warm them. As he made his way toward her, she turned her head his way, her beautiful eyes sparkling up at him.

Wordlessly, Eric extended one warm mug of cocoa to her, his ears taking in the soft musical cadence of her appreciation. "Thanks," she murmured, lifting the mug to her lips. Her eyes closed as the sweet taste of chocolate overwhelmed her, its heat warming her from the inside out. "Your mother's recipe?" she asked, smiling as she remembered the story he had shared just the night before.

Eric grinned. "It's supposed to be," he replied, scratching at the back of his neck. "I'm not sure it came out exactly the same, but it's close, I think."

Calleigh cupped the mug in her hands as she took another sip, allowing the warmth to spread through her fingers. "I don't think it could get much better than it already is," she complimented, and Eric couldn't help but grin widely at the praise. With a smile on her own, she patted the blanket next to her, gazing expectantly at Eric. "You going to stand there all night?" she teased, tilting her head playfully. "Or are you going to join me down here where it's warm?"

There was no way on earth he could refuse her invitation. With a slight chuckle, he lowered himself to the blanket beside of her, vaguely catching the sweet scent of her shampoo from her still slightly damp locks. "It's still snowing outside," he observed softly, setting his own mug on the coffee table.

She smiled, taking a slow sip of cocoa. "I know," she replied wistfully, looking toward the window. "It's so pretty, isn't it? It's almost enough to make me wish I lived somewhere like this."

Eric chuckled, admiring unabashedly the way the lights of the Christmas tree twinkled back at him from her emerald eyes. "But not quite?"

Calleigh smirked. "Not quite," she agreed, tilting her head thoughtfully. "I love the warmth too much for that."

"And the ocean, and the beach, among other things…" Eric supplied with a grin.

"Of course." With a slight wince, Calleigh stretched out her legs, already feeling the soreness from the day's activities setting up there. And it wasn't just in her legs – her entire body felt as though she'd taken quite the beating. Her arms, shoulders, back…she winced again, already imagining how sore she would be in the morning.

Her sudden change in expression did not go unnoticed by Eric, and really, she'd never expected it to. "You okay?" he asked softly, the concern apparent in his deep eyes.

She forced a smile as she tried to find a comfortable position. "I'm fine," she said dismissively, finally settling with much the same position she had started in. "I just…fell a lot today, remember?" She rolled her eyes, watching the smirk develop on Eric's face. "Not that I should have to remind you, since you spent a good deal of the afternoon laughing at me."

As though apologetic, Eric lifted a hand, shielding his growing grin from her. "I'm sorry," he said, his grin stretching even more at the disbelief in Calleigh's eyes. "You're right, it wasn't very nice of me," he teased.

"No, it _wasn't_," Calleigh pouted. "I could've really been hurt, too." She was only teasing him, though – despite the majority of time she'd spent lying on her back in the snow, Calleigh had honestly had the time of her life out there today. And how could she not? She'd gotten to see her first snowfall…with Eric. The memory of that moment along was enough to make her smile brightly.

"You look like you _are_ hurt," he observed softly, his dark eyes taking in every move she made. The smile had faded from his lips, every part of him now filled with concern for her. "Are you?"

Calleigh quickly shook her head, though the movement strained her aching muscles. "No, I'm really not," she replied with a grin of reassurance. "I honestly had a blast out there today," she continued, chuckling. "My muscles just aren't used to being thrown to the snow like that."

To emphasize her point, Calleigh rolled her aching shoulders, allowing a low groan to escape her lips. "I should probably go to bed – that would probably help more than anything."

Eric wasn't sure where the sudden rush of courage had come from, or even whether it was actual courage, or just idiocy – he'd know which one it was if he lived to remember this. Before Calleigh could even think about rising to her feet, Eric caught her hand, a smile on his lips as the words slipped from his lips before he could even attempt to stop them. "Or, you could let me help you feel better," he breathed. Calleigh's eyes widened slightly as he quickly moved, sliding his body effortlessly behind her.

Even through the thickness of her robe, she could feel even the slightest brush of his body against hers. Instinctively, she tensed, her mind frantically scrambling for Eric's intentions, unable to find them. They were soon made known to her, though, as the feel of Eric's hands on her shoulders sent her heart racing. "Eric?"

"Relax," he murmured, on his knees behind her as his hands began slowly massaging her shoulders. But rather than follow his soft command, Calleigh felt her body tense even further as his touch sent sparks crackling through her body. With that kind of electricity between them, she wasn't sure how it was possible to relax.

But Eric was not dissuaded. He simply chuckled, brushing off her reaction as a typical Calleigh response. "Seriously," he murmured, his voice as calming as could be. "Just close your eyes and think of something…I don't know. What do you do to chill out at home?" He paused, knowing immediately the activity that would come to her mind, having joined her in it after many a hard case. "And don't say running, because it would _probably_ be a bit counterproductive to do that right now," he smirked.

He had a point there, as Calleigh realized with a smile. It _was_ how she usually calmed herself when her body was tense and her mind racing – it was especially calming on the days that Eric joined her. Right now though, running was the last thing she wanted to do. Obliging him, Calleigh closed her eyes, imagining perhaps a clichéd form of relaxation, but one that worked for her nonetheless.

Eric grinned, already feeling her muscles relax a bit. "What are you thinking of?"

"The beach," she answered automatically, her lips twitching as Eric chuckled behind her.

"I like that answer," Eric teased, his fingers now gently playing with her hair. "I bring you to the land of ice and snow, and you think about the beach."

"You _did_ say 'at home,'" she retorted.

"I guess I did," he agreed with a chuckle, gently gathering her blonde locks in his hands. Ever gently, he brushed her beautiful locks over her right shoulder, out of the way of his skilled fingers as they worked over her muscles. "So. You. At the beach. Tell me about it."

Calleigh giggled, finding the premise somewhat odd, but she obliged anyway. "I love to just go down to the beach on my days off and spend the entire day out in the sun," she began, picturing it in her mind. "I love that about Miami – no matter what part of the year it is, it's usually warm enough to lay out in the sun, or if not that, it's warm enough to at least enjoy being outside. It's so relaxing – it's not hard to doze off out there, with the sun so warm and the waves breaking on the shore…"

She trailed off, and Eric couldn't help but smile widely, imagining the picture that Calleigh described. He could see her so clearly, and it had a calming effect on him as well, though that was less because of the beach scenery and more because nothing was sweeter than the vision of a carefree Calleigh, nothing but the sun and surf on her mind.

Feeling emboldened, Eric gently pushed at the fabric of her robe, just enough to slip his – now shaking – hands underneath to massage her shoulders directly. Holding his breath, he hesitated for a moment, just enough time for Calleigh to protest if he'd pushed much too far. But when no such protest came, Eric couldn't help but smile. She trusted him enough for this.

He deepened the bold caress, fascinated as Calleigh trembled beneath his touch. If that didn't spark the fire within him, the soft sigh of pleasure that Calleigh gave certainly did. Eric only barely held back a sigh of his own.

As soon as he'd touched her bare skin, Calleigh felt as though her entire body had erupted in sensation. His touch was doing wonders to soothe her aching body, not to mention the electricity that coursed through her entire being. His fingers played upon her bare skin, leaving shivers and goosebumps in their wake. It was relaxing, while at the same time it was the exact opposite. His touch played with the pace of her heartbeat, the rate of her breathing, rendering both erratic and shaky.

It was inexplicable, the sudden high Eric found himself experiencing. He felt almost as though he could do anything, all because of what being so close to Calleigh did to him. Without even thinking, he leaned in closer to her, close enough to breathe her in deeply; close enough to pick out the subtle differences between the scent of her shampoo and that of her body wash. He knew he was closing in on dangerous territory here, but he was powerless to stop himself. _She_ would have to be the one to stop him, and by the way she was reacting to his touch, Eric was sure that her mind was just as lost as his.

And she absolutely was. She knew somewhere in the back of his mind that she probably should've stopped him once his hands slipped beneath her robe, but there was no part of her that _wanted_ to stop him. If anything, Calleigh wanted more. More sensation, more touch, more Eric.

It seemed her silent plea had been heard by someone, for at that very moment, she felt him move even closer to her, the heat from his body nearly overwhelming her. Any pain she'd been in before from the slopes had long since dissipated as his talented hands worked at her shoulders, his touch somehow spreading through the rest of her achy muscles as well. And then, just as she thought he couldn't drive her any crazier, she felt his stubble brushing against his cheek as he whispered in her ear. "Feel good?"

His voice was low and husky and oh so close to her ear that Calleigh couldn't help but whimper. His name escaped her lips on a breathy whisper. With that one, seemingly innocent question, he'd succeeded in setting her entire body aflame. Her heart was pounding, her head spinning. She could feel the warmth of his breath along the sensitive patch of skin just below her ear, but she was utterly and completely unprepared for the soft caress of his lips against it.

And that tiny motion rocked her foundation like nothing else. "Eric…"

It was more a moan than a protest; that much was plain to both of their ears. Had it been a protest, Calleigh would be pulling away from him, not leaning into his touch. Had it been a protest, she wouldn't have tilted her head for him, offering him better access. And, had it been a protest, she most definitely would not have allowed him to pepper kisses downward from her ear, tracing over her jaw.

But as his lips continued along their path, he paused for a second, suckling gently at the sensitive patch of skin where her jaw met her throat, a few centimeters below her ear. She squirmed then; not a squirm of discomfort, but a squirm of pleasure, of desire, and Eric stopped only long enough to ask the question she needed to answer before he continued, before _they_ continued.

"Do you want me to stop?" he breathed, feeling no less than utterly intoxicated by her. Her scent, her taste – it washed over him in waves and he knew he could never get enough of her now. His lips danced sensually over her throat, feeling her pulse flutter wildly beneath them.

Again Calleigh whimpered, fighting the consuming urge to squirm against him again. There was no question as to what he wanted, what she wanted, and without a doubt it was more of this. She felt his lips continue downward, eventually closing over the junction at her shoulder. Once more he murmured the same question, and then as he suckled gently at the base of her neck, Calleigh could do no more than give her answer encased in a quiet whimper. "No…"

There was no telling where it was that they had destroyed that oh so carefully constructed boundary they'd spent years tiptoeing over and jumping back. All that was clear now was that it had been obliterated, and before even so much as a first kiss. At her breathy reply, Eric gave a low chuckle, the vibration causing even more goosebumps to break out upon her skin. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, could do nothing but give in to his slow, sweet seduction, the likes of which Calleigh had never experienced before. As far as she was concerned, she belonged to him. She was his; body, soul, and heart.

Boldly Eric teased at the fabric of her robe, slowly pushing it even farther from her shoulders, revealing even more creamy, perfect skin beneath. His lips followed, tasting salt and sweet and something uniquely Calleigh all at the same time. The sound of her breath hitching with every kiss along her skin was like the sweetest song to his ears, and it only made him want to hear more.

He kissed a trail of fire all the way to the end of her shoulder, pausing when Calleigh whispered his name. She lifted a hand, gently touching it to his cheek, her palm tickled by the short stubble she found there. Hesitating for only a moment, she breathed in deeply, seemingly plotting her moves carefully in her mind, and – Eric hoped – deciding once and for all to take that chance with her heart.

Eric stole one more kiss to her shoulder before Calleigh shifted against him, almost as though her body were moved by a force other than that of her own mind. Her eyes fluttered slowly open, feeling as though she were seeing with a completely new sight. Her hands caught his, her fingers intertwining with his as she tugged gently, pulling his hands from her shoulders. Though she missed his touch there greatly, the perfection in the way their hands fit together made up for it, at least in that moment.

His eyes were dark as she faced him now, enhanced by the way the firelight reflected in them. And as he gazed into her eyes like that, as though she were the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on, Calleigh found the bonds she'd wrapped her heart protectively within were breaking. Her restraint, her control – all of it was coming undone just from looking into his deep eyes.

She wanted him; that much had never been a secret to her. But never before had that truth been as all-consuming as it was in that very moment. She _wanted_ him. She wanted _to be with him._ She wanted his arms around her, his bare skin against hers, his lips mingling with hers. Her voice was laden with desire, with need, with a yearning that no one else had ever brought forth in her. And it was all present, right there in the single, whispered word that escaped her lips. "Eric…"

Silently he released her hands, lifting one of his own to her face. "You are _so_ gorgeous," he whispered, gently tucking a lock of blonde behind her ear. The words were spoken with such honesty, such unbridled conviction that Calleigh couldn't help but shiver in anticipation.

She would never figure out who moved first – she thought it might've been her, but Calleigh wasn't sure how that was possible given that she was practically frozen to the spot. All she knew was that one second, her eyes were wide, losing herself in Eric's dark eyes, gazing deep into his soul. And then in the next second, her eyes had closed and her entire being felt as though consumed in a wave of electricity, of utter passion as their lips met hungrily yet tentatively.

There were no words, no feelings, no amount of fireworks that could accurately describe how it felt as their mouths melded together for the very first time. It was everything that Eric had ever dreamed it would be, yet at the same time, it was like nothing he'd ever imagined. All the nights he'd lain awake staring into the dark, losing himself in thoughts of this very moment, their first kiss…none of those thoughts, thoughts that became dreams as he drifted into a restless sleep, could compare to this, the real thing. There was no comparison.

And he knew he could never get enough of her now. Eric would swear he'd been addicted to her before this moment – addicted to the scent of her sweet perfume, to the sound of her soft Southern lilt, to the sight of her smile that would brighten even the darkest of days. But now, there was no question – he was truly addicted to everything about her. To be away from her would tear his heart to pieces.

Calleigh felt as though her entire body had broken out in goosebumps. The lack of demand in the kiss left room for a languid sensuality that had her body shivering and her head spinning. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of completeness, as though she'd finally figured out the answer to a forever puzzling mystery, as though she'd found the part of herself she'd never quite realized she was missing before she'd met Eric.

She made no effort to stop the little sigh of pleasure she gave as Eric placed a gentle hand at her cheek, his thumb caressing her soft skin as he slowly deepened an already dizzying kiss. He brought her closer, teasing at her lips with the tip of his tongue, begging for access that was freely and quickly given with a quiet moan.

The lack of oxygen was already shredding his lungs, but the pain meant nothing to Eric. Breathing was quite low on his list of necessities for life right now – if it had nothing to do with or in any way hindered him from kissing Calleigh, then it was something Eric would rather live without.

And with that knowledge he kissed her all the more fervently, knowing that he'd never experienced a kiss quite like this before. It left him feeling so complete, but wanting, _needing_ more all the same. The faint hint of cocoa remained on her lips, and Eric would swear he could pick out strawberries and vanilla at the same time too, among other flavors that were easily the sweetest he'd ever tasted. He _was _already addicted, and withdrawal would be a beast he'd never find the strength or desire to conquer.

The hand at her cheek slipped its way into her soft blonde locks, feeling the strands thread seamlessly through his fingers, feeling more than hearing Calleigh let out a quiet sigh. Lips and tongues mingled slowly, teasing and tasting and taking all of the time in the world to commit everything to memory, lest it all be gone in a flash.

And then her soft hands discovered his skin, and Eric couldn't help but shudder at the sensation. Still lost within the kiss, Calleigh's fingers teased at the bottom of his t-shirt, her touch like feathers over his abdomen once, twice, and a third time before they finally sneaked their way underneath, skimming over his toned muscles, loving the way they fluttered beneath her touch.

Despite never wanting to break the connection between their lips, the need for oxygen was becoming just too much for Calleigh to bear. Her lungs were crying out for air and the dizziness was becoming overwhelming. She knew if she were to open her eyes right now, all she'd see clearly would be the tiny black dots dancing in her field of vision. Bunching up the material of Eric's shirt in her fists, Calleigh gave herself a better reason to break the kiss than the necessity of oxygen.

Finally their lips parted, but before Calleigh could tug his shirt over his head and toss it away, Eric caught her hands, gently prying her fingers from his shirt. "Calleigh," he murmured breathlessly, unable to decide which part of her expression he loved the most right now. Her freshly-kissed lips were parted as she attempted to catch her breath; her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were dark with desire, desire that sent shivers down the length of Eric's spine. He had no idea how many nights he'd dreamed of seeing that look in her eyes – that look of want for him and _only _him.

Her tousled hair fell over her shoulders – her rather bare shoulders, for her robe had become even more disheveled around her small frame. Releasing one of her hands, Eric reached out to her, gently cupping a flushed cheek. "Calleigh," he murmured once more, not quite sure why – maybe it served as proof to him that this moment was real, that she was really here with him, really gazing at him like he'd secretly gazed at her for so many years previous.

He felt his heart skip a beat as Calleigh leaned into his touch, slowly turning her head and pressing the softest of kisses into his palm. "Do you know…" she began, her words trailing off into nothing in favor of another light kiss to his palm.

She opened her eyes to him then, the depth of emotion within them stunning Eric to the core. Her walls were _down._ The walls that she'd hidden behind for so long; the walls that she'd immediately retreated behind just a couple of nights ago, during the cookie incident in the kitchen; the walls that she'd painstakingly repaired after the first time Eric had seen her vulnerable…they were no longer there. The realization hit Eric square in the chest, leaving him almost as breathless as that kiss had left him. Blinking twice, he swallowed hard, concentrating on the feel of her lips against his palm. "Know what?" he breathed, the words far more shaky than he'd intended.

Another kiss, and another, and finally Calleigh continued. "Do you know how long I've wanted this?" she murmured, her voice just barely above a whisper, so quiet that Eric wondered whether he'd really even heard it at all.

"Wanted what?" Eric pressed softly, gently intertwining the fingers of his other hand with hers.

"This." Her answer was immediate, without hesitation. "You." And then she paused, exhaling deeply. Emerald green locked with deep chocolate brown before the confession that Eric had longed to hear for so long fell from her beautiful lips. "I – I want you."

Tantalizingly, she bit at her lip, and it was all Eric could do not to claim her lips once more. This was what he'd wanted – _needed_ – for so long, and to hear her verbalize the same exact thing…he couldn't describe the feelings that bubbled forth within him – all he knew was that it was a mix of lust, of desire, of wonder and awe, and mostly, love.

He smiled, trailing his hands along the front of her robe. Tugging gently at the belt that held the front of it closed, he spoke quietly, pausing only to slip his hands inside and skirt his fingertips along her hips. "I want…to take my time…" It was an understatement in words, but by the desire he was sure was darkening his eyes, Eric was sure that Calleigh got the idea. He wanted to take his time, tracing every soft curve of her body with the touch of his fingertips. He wanted to follow that same trail with his lips, the caress of his tongue. To memory he wanted to catalogue the touches and kisses that elicited what reactions from her – what made her cry out, what made her tremble with need.

With gentle fingers, Eric pushed her robe from her shoulders, and as the fluffy white fabric fell away from her body, leaving her covered by only black lace, Eric couldn't help but stare. She was a vision of beauty, the very definition of the word. She blushed under his scrutiny, but disguised any embarrassment by once more reaching for his shirt, this time tugging it over his head without any resistance.

And then his mouth covered hers once more, just as she brought her hands to his toned chest. He felt her nails scratching gently, sending a jolt of electricity through his body, and he couldn't help but groan out in pleasure. Without breaking the kiss, he gently maneuvered them,_ very_ gently, so as not to agitate Calleigh's aching muscles, softly laying Calleigh back on the plush blanket she'd laid out in front of the fire.

Immediately Calleigh gave a quiet whimper against his lips. This was exactly like something out of one of her favorite, guilty pleasure romance novels, the ones she'd never admit to reading. The twinkling lights from the Christmas tree illuminating their bodies as they made love before the fire…the very thought made her shiver with desire.

To her brief displeasure, Eric broke the kiss, though he didn't go far. Before Calleigh could issue a protest, his lips were trailing along her jaw once more, following the path they had taken before, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. As he continued downward, Calleigh couldn't help but squirm under the sensual assault, quite aware that the sounds leaving her mouth were growing more and more needy, but at this point, she didn't care.

His tongue danced momentarily over her collarbone before dipping in the hollow of her throat, his lips murmuring something that Calleigh couldn't quite pick out, some breathy mix of Spanish and Russian that left her crying out for him, honestly _crying out. _She'd heard him speak both languages before, but somehow, she didn't think she'd ever be able to hear him speak either one of them again without thinking of this moment and blushing.

Somewhere in the mix of kisses and whispers, the last boundaries separating their bodies had been discarded, tossed away in favor of nothing more than bare skin against bare skin. Calleigh could barely breathe, lost in his sweet seduction. Just when she was sure that he couldn't make her feel any more emotion, any more sensation without pushing her over the edge, he gazed deep into her eyes as he sought out the erratic beat of her heart with his lips. Her breath hitched as he found it, pressing a slow, soft kiss right above her heart. "Do you have _any _idea how beautiful you are?" he breathed, leaving Calleigh utterly speechless.

In lieu of a verbal reply that might've taken hours to form in her desire-clouded mind, Calleigh simply gripped at his shoulders and tugged him upward, lifting her own head to meet his lips hungrily. She had never, _ever_ wanted anybody as badly as she wanted Eric, and not just for tonight, but for the rest of her life. For the rest of her nights upon this earth, she wanted to fall asleep beside him and wake up the next morning in the same place.

And never before had Calleigh been more sure about what she wanted.

Her flushed body trembled with every touch, whether it be by his fingertips or his lips. And as much as she wanted to keep the connection between their lips, she couldn't deny the way her heart swelled as Eric broke away from her one final time, a single question in his eyes as he gazed down upon her. "Are you sure?" Given their current state, perhaps it was a bit late to be asking such a question, but Eric needed to know. He was in love with her; if she didn't feel the same in the morning, on Christmas morning, no less, his heart would be broken beyond repair.

He really needn't have asked, though – everything he felt for her, he could see it reflected back to him in her eyes. Combined with that, her slow nod and the gentle smile at her lips were all the encouragement he needed. Losing himself once more in her deep emerald eyes – he knew there was a reason why that shade of green had always been his favorite – Eric ignored the urge to let his own eyes flutter closed in pleasure as they slowly became one for the first time. He fought, desperately trying to draw it out, to make it last, but the way Calleigh trembled beneath him, his name in whispers at her lips made it the greatest challenge of his life.

It took his breath away, just the mere idea of being here with her now. Only in his wildest dreams had he imagined that he would ever actually find himself at this place, reverently making love to the woman who had completely stolen his heart with – hopefully – no intentions of giving it back, because he certainly wasn't letting _her_ heart out of his possession anytime soon.

His heart for hers, for each of them to cherish and care for as though they were their own.

Eric could think of no better Christmas gift than that.


	8. eight

**_(I know, I know. If I could keep my priorities straight instead of writing every little one-shot that comes to mind, this story totally would've been finished much closer to Christmas…you know, as opposed to Valentine's Day, lol.)_**

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**-eight-**

Light snow continued to fall outside, covering much of the world in a picturesque winter wonderland, leaving the two of them hidden away from the rest of the world. Afterglow was in full bloom, and Calleigh couldn't wipe the contented smile from her lips if she'd tried. Snuggled against Eric, their sweat-cooled bodies beneath the throw blanket from the back of the couch, she knew that moving from that spot was nothing she ever wanted to think about.

Without even realizing it, Calleigh gave a soft sigh of delight, content enough to drift away into sleep, yet at the same time much too restless to even try. Sleep was unimportant; staying awake for this far outweighed letting her eyes flutter closed.

At her sigh, Eric turned his head slightly, nuzzling happily into her tousled blonde locks. "You okay?" he asked quietly, his fingers adopting a soothing, circular motion over her back. He just couldn't get enough of her now – touching her, kissing her, holding her. And if the similar pattern that her fingers traced over his bare chest was any indication, she felt the same about him. He hoped so, at least, with every piece of his heart.

Calleigh gave a quiet hum of affirmation, closing her eyes in contentment. Merely okay was an understatement; what she was feeling right now surpassed that by countless amounts.

Eric chuckled quietly, unable to help being amused, fascinated at this side of Calleigh. Now that she'd revealed that side to him, he never wanted to let her hide it again. "Still hurting?" he asked, unknowingly nearly melting Calleigh with the honest concern in his voice.

To emphasize her answer, Calleigh stretched luxuriously, eliciting a short gasp from Eric as her body moved against his; her bare skin sliding over his bare skin. It nearly coaxed a shiver as well, but if Calleigh noticed, she made no indication of it. "No," she answered simply, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Much to Eric's delight, he felt her lips brush along his throat as she continued. "I feel…amazing," she murmured, punctuating her words with a slow kiss to his pulse point.

Her response, both words and actions, had a slow, ecstatic smile tugging at his lips. "Really?"

She gave a quiet giggle, the sound oh so close to Eric's ear. "Yeah," she murmured, her breath warm against his skin. A series of chills raced down Eric's spine, and he swallowed hard, wondering if she realized what her seemingly innocent show of affection was doing to him.

Her lips continued to trace agonizingly slowly over his skin; brushing, teasing, occasionally suckling. And when Eric felt the light brush of her tongue, it was all he could do not to pull her against him and roll her onto her back. He was already dying to make love to her again; he was dying to hear her cry out his name once more.

But before he could make those desires a reality again, Calleigh shifted against him, lifting her head as her slow kisses made their way over his jaw, her lips making their way closer and closer to his lips. But she was much too slow for Eric's taste, and with a slight tilt of his head, he captured her lips in a lazy, tender kiss.

Calleigh sighed happily, falling easily into the natural way their lips mingled together, almost as though they'd spent years and years like this, rather than only one night, so far. And as far as Calleigh was concerned, this one night just had to become many years, because she wasn't sure she could go back to Miami without this.

It was the exact opposite of everything she'd ever told herself. She didn't _need_ to be in a relationship to be happy. She didn't _have_ to have somebody in order to feel complete. She didn't _need_ a man's arms around her in order to feel warmth. And yet, here Calleigh was, her heart pounding and her skin tingling, and feeling honestly as though she'd be lonely, cold, and incomplete if she woke up tomorrow and found that this was all just another dream.

If it _was_ just a dream, it was a damn good one, though. Her senses were already overloaded with feeling, physical and emotional. It was so real, the way her heart pounded, the way her lips tingled as Eric teased at them with his tongue, to the way the butterflies in her stomach went absolutely _wild_ once their lips were parted and eyes were opened, deepest brown meeting emerald green.

It was almost _too_ intense, and Calleigh had to avert her eyes, still not quite used to finding herself so emotionally open with him. Once more, she adopted her previous position against him, smiling as his arms enveloped her once more. His fingers again began their steady, hypnotizing motion over her spine, and Calleigh shivered, nuzzling against him. "Can I…can I tell you something?" she murmured, her own fingers tracing over his chest, seeking out the beat of his heart.

Eric couldn't help but find himself caught off-guard by the seriousness in her tone. His fingers along her spine faltered just a bit before he caught himself, but even more undeniable than that was the sudden quickening of his heart, the way his mouth suddenly went dry. "You can tell me anything," he replied quietly, having no idea what was coming, whether it was good or bad.

It was a confession; a confession that fell almost surprisingly easily from Calleigh's lips. "I like this," she whispered, smiling softly. "You and me, it feels…nice," she finished, closing her eyes as she realized just how lame her response might have sounded. But as Eric chuckled and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, it became clear to her that while her _nice_ had sounded lame to her ears, Eric had gleaned from it everything she'd wanted to say instead. She gave a deep, contented sigh, though the words that followed her initial confession were the ones she began to struggle with. "I've wanted this for three years," she murmured, finally putting the truth that had silently plagued her for those three years out into the open. "Maybe even longer than that, but…"

She trailed off, searching for the words to express what she knew with all of her heart. Honestly, she'd never really thought she'd get the chance to put those feelings into spoken words. "I wish I could remember the exact moment that I…that I, you know." Even now, lying naked in his arms, Calleigh couldn't seem to find the strength to lend her voice to those words, once and for all. _The moment that I fell for you. _She could hear the words so easily in her mind, but bringing them to her lips wasn't something she was ready for.

And Eric seemed to realize that. Ever gently, he pressed a series of soft kisses into her hair, silently encouraging her to continue when she was ready, only then. She swallowed hard, reaching out and lacing her fingers with those on the hand not stroking her skin. "I do remember," she tried again, smiling as Eric squeezed her hand. "I do remember the moment I first _realized_ I had feelings for you. And at that point," she paused, swallowing hard her apprehension. It was so unlike her to be so shy, so sheepish, but then again, Eric had a way of bringing out emotions she'd never thought she had – case in point. "It was…different. But I knew exactly what it was, and I just…I just wanted it to go away."

Eric stiffened at her statement, leaving Calleigh feeling irrepressibly guilty over her choice of words. "Not like that, Eric," she amended quickly, softly shaking her head. "I just…when it hit me, back then, it was…"

She took in a deep breath, tossing all other explanations to the wayside and going with the one word, the one name that told it all. "Natalia."

Her voice was so soft that Eric was unsure whether she'd spoken at all. And then as the soft whisper imprinted itself on his mind, his mouth all but fell open in silent shock. "Natalia?" he repeated slowly, struggling to put the pieces of that puzzle together. Vaguely he counted back those three years in his mind – he knew that would've been around the time that he and Natalia had had their…thing, but how it tied in to Calleigh's feelings was so far over his head. "How? Why?"

His confusion brought a slight chuckle to her lips. "It's silly," she said dismissively. But somehow, she knew that since she had finally opened that door, Eric wasn't going to let her back out that easily.

And she was right. "No, seriously," he murmured, almost wishing she would shift her position so he could look her in the eye. Almost, not quite – he was rather content with the way her body fit so perfectly against his as they cuddled, after all.

Anxiously she squirmed against him, though her movement only made him tighten his arms around her body. Calleigh gave a slight smile, secretly pleased at his reluctance to let her run away, even though she had no real intention of doing so. "I don't know," she murmured, her eyes trained on the movement of her fingers over his chest. She shrugged lightly, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks as she made her revelation. "I was…jealous, I guess."

"You were jealous?" Eric asked incredulously. "Of Natalia? Why?"

Calleigh let out a breath, thankful for the moment that she didn't have to look into his eyes as she spoke. "I didn't even know at first," she began, her voice surprisingly steady. "It hit me out of nowhere. She – she was sick, said she'd had a bout of the stomach flu or something that had stuck around for ages without getting much better. And, I mean, I knew you two had been seeing each other, and I was – I'd thought I was okay with that. And then suddenly, when she slipped and told me that her flu was worse in the mornings…" Trailing off, Calleigh paused for a moment, nibbling thoughtfully at her lip. "I knew she didn't completely believe it was the flu, and at that point, I didn't either. And I…I don't even know what I was feeling, but it was overwhelming. I had to face it then – my best friend, the best friend that I had relied on and would trust with everything…suddenly I wanted _more_ than that. More than just that friendship."

Eric couldn't even speak – her words floored him. All he could do was listen in silent awe as she continued, his heart swelling more and more as she spoke. "I knew _exactly _what you would do if she _was_ pregnant, because I know _you. _And uh, I guess it just hit me then. I didn't want you with her, because…because _I_ wanted you. And I thought it was silly; I thought it would go away, but…now here we are," she finished, sighing deeply.

"Three years…"

His voice was that of quiet wonder, almost as though he couldn't believe it himself. "Mm-hmm," she hummed softly, thankful that those early feelings _hadn't_ faded away like she'd expected them to.

But how? Eric couldn't help but wonder. He'd always thought _he_ was the only one with those feelings – he'd never gotten any indication of reciprocation. At one point, he'd even thought they were drifting too far apart, across a distance that could never be mended. And then there was Jake…there was simply a lot that Eric didn't understand – throughout those three years, if she'd only come to him, she could have had him at any time; he would've been hers, just like that. "Can I tell _you _something?" he asked after a moment, echoing her question from earlier. "Two things, actually."

And finally Calleigh lifted her head, shifting enough to make herself comfortable as she met his gaze head-on. "Anything," she whispered with a smile, watching his lips twitch as her reply almost echoed his earlier response.

His was a smile that was short-lived though, as his expression once more gave way to one of seriousness. "I think I had more reason to be jealous of Jake than you ever had to be of Natalia."

"Why?"

Eric gave a slight chuckle, shaking his head as he momentarily turned his gaze to the ceiling. "Because you loved him."

Biting her lip, Calleigh too averted her eyes. "At one time," she mumbled, suddenly wishing she'd never revealed that simple fact to Eric.

"You and Jake had something deeper than I ever had with Natalia; probably even deeper than anything I ever had with Kate," he pointed out quietly, and even though he currently held her in his arms, he couldn't deny the doubts that were still lingering in the back of his mind. "Do you ever really get over someone like that?"

The question was one Calleigh herself had spent much too long pondering – over a decade, in fact. It was why she had given that relationship a second chance, even after so much had clearly changed between them, within them. It had taken the dissolution of that relationship, plus the feelings for Eric that had lingered beneath the surface for her to realize that she _had_ healed; that she _had _moved on. "You do…when somebody else sends you flying head over heels even harder than the first person," she murmured, her heart skipping a beat at the smile that slowly stretched over Eric's lips.

The words were rather trite and clichéd and left Calleigh wanting to flinch at the sound of them in her own voice, but really, there were no other words to describe it…except the one word she just wasn't ready to vocalize, not yet. Shaking it from her mind, Calleigh pressed a quick kiss to his shoulder, remembering that he'd had not one but two things to say. "What was the second thing?" she asked, silently hoping it wasn't more of the same. Jake, Kate, Natalia…she'd had enough reopening of old wounds for one night, especially Christmas Eve, and more than anything, she wanted them to be able to put it all behind them. She wanted to spend the rest of her night enjoying the feel of Eric's arms around her; she wanted to spend the night reveling in his kisses, his featherlight touches to her skin.

Eric smiled. "You never had to be jealous of Natalia. Or Kate. Or any other woman, for that matter."

And yet, she had been. Natalia had had something she wanted, as had Kate. "Why not?"

For a moment, Eric was silent. "You really don't see?"

When Calleigh didn't reply, Eric gave a quiet sigh, staring blankly to the ceiling above. "Because for me, it was _always _you, Calleigh." He paused, allowing a moment for her to take it in. "You don't know how many times, how many places in my life I would've been just completely, utterly lost if I didn't have you," he continued. "If you weren't in my life, I don't know where I'd be." Pausing, he took in a deep breath, hesitating just in case Calleigh stiffened in response to his heavy confession. But she didn't – if anything, she held tighter to him; snuggled closer to him. "Losing Marisol, the shooting, being sued, Kate…there have been so many days that I've woken up, with only _one_ reason to make myself get out of bed and live my life. And it's you, Cal. It's _always_ been you."

The revelation stunned her into a silence punctuated by the deepest, most consuming shivers. Suddenly, there was so much that finally made sense to her, and yet, at the same time, so much more that simply twirled away into clouds of confusion in her mind. She couldn't explain it, and maybe there wasn't a logical explanation for it anyway. Maybe it was all just part of this feeling she'd found herself falling into, and as she felt Eric's lips brushing once more over the top of her head, Calleigh couldn't help but smile.

She wanted this; wanted to hold on to this feeling forever, but the thought of that had her smile fading once more as another question rose up in her mind, bringing with it a sense of dread that not even Eric's touch could quell. "So what happens after we leave here?" she asked quietly.

It was a question that had haunted Eric himself, one he'd desperately tried to ignore. But now that it was spoken, ignoring it was no longer an option.

He knew exactly what Calleigh meant. Being here with her, away from all that they knew was like a whole other dimension to him. It just didn't seem real; seemed like one of his most vivid dreams. The snow, the firelight, the feel of Calleigh cuddling against him without a care in the world…

Would going back to Miami change all that?

Back in Miami, they had their jobs, their lives, responsibilities…everything they had left behind in order to find each other. And while Eric utterly _hated_ to think of the man while he lay here holding Calleigh, there was no way around it. "Stetler," he murmured, biting hard at the inside of his cheek.

Calleigh frowned, knowing that Internal Affairs had the potential to ruin everything. But in the choice between playing it safe or playing with fire, Calleigh couldn't deny that there existed very little of a choice there at all. Let go of Eric, or hold onto him and take the risk with IAB – there was no question. Calleigh had spent far too much of her life playing it safe. Licking her lips, she gave a slow shake of her head, her mind made up. "I don't care," she murmured, some of the most certain words she'd ever spoken.

"What?"

"I don't care about Stetler, his stupid rules, any of that," she repeated, her certainty bringing a smile to Eric's lips. This was what he had dreamed of for so long, much too long. "I want…I want to be with you," she continued in a quiet murmur, her fingers drawing lazy circles atop his chest, just over his heart. "I don't think – no, I know I've never felt like this before, and I…" she trailed off, nibbling thoughtfully at her lip. Never had she thought that she'd spend her Christmas Eve cuddled on a blanket in front of the fire, in Eric's arms. She'd _dreamed_ of it, certainly, but never had she thought it might actually happen. "I just…I don't want to lose this."

Her honesty was so overwhelming, so much so that all Eric could do was tighten his hold on her, his lips back to her hair. They lay like that for quite some time, watching from each other's arms as the fire slowly burned away, simmering into mere embers. A comfortable silence fell over them, punctuated by gentle kisses and the occasional quiet sigh of contentment.

Calleigh was unsure how long they had simply laid there and cuddled like that until the telltale chimes of the grandfather clock echoed through the cabin. Silently she counted the chimes, a smile stretching over her lips as she counted the twelfth one. "Midnight," she murmured.

Eric gave a slow nod, feeling his lips turn upward in a contented smile. "You know what that means?" he asked quietly, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to the top of Calleigh's head.

Calleigh sighed, shivering lightly at the feel of his lips. "What's that?"

With a low chuckle, Eric closed his eyes for a moment, silently offering a prayer of gratitude to the heavens above. To be here now, with the woman who'd stolen his heart so many years ago…he could think of no better gift. Ghosting a finger along her bare spine, he watched in fascination as his touch provoked goosebumps over her bare shoulders. "Merry Christmas, beautiful," he whispered low.

Calleigh smirked. "Merry Christmas to you, too," she murmured seductively, lifting her head and meeting his gaze, knowing he saw the devilish glint in her eyes. The fire in the fireplace might've been on its way out, but between the way Eric's hands were traveling over her skin and the way her body fit so perfectly against his, Calleigh couldn't help but feel a different kind of fire sparking up within her once more.

Her tone had Eric curiously lifting a brow, an amused glimmer in his own dark eyes. "You don't think it's time to head to bed?" he teased, laughter apparent in his voice. "If you don't get some sleep, Santa won't come."

Calleigh giggled softly. "That's okay," she replied, shifting her body against his. Eric gasped softly as her lips suddenly covered the hollow at the base of his throat, her mouth leaving behind a trail of fire as she kissed her way upward before finally latching to his jaw. Devilishly she flicked her tongue against his skin, once, then twice before finally closing her lips, _tantalizingly_ suckling at that spot just below Eric's ear. He hadn't been expecting that, and couldn't stop the low moan that fell from his own lips. "I already got what I wanted."

Eric gave a low chuckle, unable to deny the way his heart swelled almost to bursting at her shy comment. "Is that so?" he mumbled, sharply breathing in as she shifted against him yet again.

With a playful grin on her lips, Calleigh lifted her head from his chest, watching his smile grow ever wider as she maneuvered herself atop him, her knees on either side of his hips. "Uh-huh," she cooed, allowing the throw blanket she'd pulled with her to fall from her shoulders, pooling seductively around her hips. As it fell away from her, Calleigh felt her cheeks flush at the appreciative way Eric's eyes traced hungrily over her body. Her heart was pounding with anticipation again, so loudly that she would swear Eric could hear it too, but at this point, she didn't care."But I, uh," she began, tracing a finger lazily over his muscled torso, watching his stomach flutter beneath her touch. "I wouldn't say no to more, though…"

Eric grinned, lifting his hands to her bare hips. He would never cease to be amazed at how soft her skin felt beneath his fingertips. The sight of her now, nibbling shyly at her lower lip whilst straddling his hips and looking sexier than he'd ever thought possible…it took his breath away, leaving him dazed, awed. "I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of you," he whispered, gently skimming his fingers along her sides. The higher on her body he traced, the more Calleigh trembled, and as he finally traced a hidden pattern inward, brushing his fingertips over the swell of her breast, her breath hitched in her throat with an audible gasp of his name.

And it was that moment that he decided once and for all that he was going to do whatever it took to get his name to leave those sexy lips of hers on all of her different sounds. Attached to a low moan, whispered on a delicate sigh, drawn out in that southern drawl as she hovered right on the edge of bliss, maybe even – _definitely_, Eric couldn't help thinking devilishly – on a delirious scream as the waves of ecstasy consumed her.

Those thoughts running through his mind, he slowly trailed his hands back down to her hips, letting them rest there as he softly kneaded her skin with his fingers. "You're beautiful," he repeated for what felt like the millionth time that evening, but he knew that no matter how many times he said it, the words themselves would never come close to expressing just how beautiful she truly was.

If possible, Calleigh's cheeks flushed even deeper as she lifted a hand, brushing her fingers through her tousled blonde locks. Blonde hair, emerald eyes, contagious smile…she'd heard the word beautiful used to describe her many a time before. But never before had she believed it quite as much as when Eric said it, and never before had hearing those words sparked this emotion she was feeling now. It was completely new to her; she had no idea what it could be, but she knew she didn't want to let it go anytime soon.

Without a verbal reply, Calleigh leaned over him, her tousled hair falling around their faces in a curtain of vanilla blonde. Ever slowly, almost too slowly, she captured his lips in a lazy yet hungry kiss, moaning happily as his lips immediately parted for her. The shiver that consumed her body as his tongue met hers was almost overwhelming; she felt the goosebumps breaking out over every inch of her skin, and if Eric's chuckle against her mouth was any indication, he felt them too.

His hands were wandering; touching, brushing, grazing against every patch of skin he could reach, and never before had Calleigh realized just how _wild_ a man's touch could possibly drive her. Her body was on fire; she felt literally as though she were burned by him, and all she wanted was to feel more and more of it.

Just when she thought she literally couldn't take any more, Calleigh felt the light brush of his fingers along her inner thighs, slowly sliding higher and higher. She couldn't help but part from his mouth, his name leaving her lips on a low, throaty cry as she felt her arousal rise within her to the breaking point. She wanted him; there weren't words to accurately describe how _badly_ she needed him. "Eric…"

His eyes darkened, his tongue tracing over his lips, capturing the lingering taste of her. "I love hearing that," he murmured, his low, gravelly voice eliciting another moan from the woman hovering over him. Her eyes fluttered open, and Eric found himself lost in the emerald orbs, fascinated at the way they darkened as his fingers once more explored her body.

But nothing was better than the way her eyes fluttered, the way her body trembled, the little moan that escaped her lips as she settled over him, once more bringing their bodies together as one. And once more, Eric found himself utterly amazed at the _perfection_ of it all; it felt as though their bodies were made for each other, their souls meant for each other. It took his breath away, and Eric knew there would never come a moment that it didn't leave him breathless.

As their bodies moved together so sinuously, soft sighs and deep moans once more filled the cozy room. Mingling lips and tongues, roaming hands, clashing hips; all the touching and teasing and tasting, and still they remained unable to get enough of one another. Every touch, every kiss only seemed to stoke the flame higher and higher, and Eric knew that when they both tumbled over the edge together, they'd both be seeing little more than stars dancing in their vision.

The fire had completely died away, the only light in the room that from the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree, but it was enough; just enough to cast an utterly ethereal glow upon their glistening bodies. And as Calleigh's body trembled above him with his name on her lips, her flushed face and eyes of deepest green alight with that soft glow, Eric knew with absolute certainty that there existed no sight more beautiful.


	9. nine

**_Christmas in July, lol. I will let you guys assume that I did that on purpose. ;) The epilogue will likely not take six months to get posted...or so I hope, heh. My apologies; I truly never meant to let the time get away from me on this one.  
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**_-nine-_**

The sunlight of Christmas morning was filtering softly through the curtains, bathing the cabin in a magical glow. It was just another element of perfection that added to this, the most wonderful Christmas morning Eric had ever had. He was unsure for how long he'd been awake, for time seemed all but nonexistent to him as he watched the beautiful woman sleeping next to him.

To wake her would be such a crime in his eyes – he hadn't even been able to make himself do that the night before. Snuggled against his side by the fire, she had drifted into a sated slumber, and Eric had held her, gently stroking her hair until long after the fire had died. And then, he had taken every last precaution as he'd lifted her into his arms, making sure not to jostle her into waking as he gently carried her up the stairs.

He'd taken the utmost care as he'd tucked her into his bed, smoothing her hair and dropping a kiss to her forehead before slipping in beside her, taking her into his arms. And then she'd unknowingly stolen his heart all over again, with the way she nestled against him and sleepily murmured his name.

And now he was privileged enough to wake before her, to unabashedly gaze upon her as she slept so deeply. He wasn't sure how long he'd been watching her; all he knew was that if she hadn't begun to stir, he would've been content to watch her forever. As she slowly traversed the gap between sleep and waking, Eric's eyes were fixed to her, knowing that if there was one sight more adorable than a sleeping Calleigh, it was a waking Calleigh. Fluttering eyelids, an occasional twitch of her lips, all of it was enough to bring a smile to Eric's lips, but none of it compared to the unshielded depth in her emerald eyes as her body finally crossed that barrier into consciousness.

She gave a deep, well-rested yawn as she stretched luxuriously, her legs brushing against Eric's in the process. Blinking slowly, she was seemingly unaware that Eric's heart was fluttering in his chest at the sight of the smile that leisurely touched her lips. She watched him for a moment, noting the intensity in his gaze, the intensity which was trained upon her and her alone. "What are you doing?" she asked sleepily, her thickened accent like the sweetest music to Eric's ears.

His fingertips traced a gentle path along her jaw, lingering just beneath her chin. It was as though he just couldn't keep his hands off of her – her skin was addictably soft, and he couldn't get enough of the way it felt beneath his touch. He was just absolutely smitten with everything about her, and everything he thought he couldn't possibly fall farther in love with her, she sent him flying head over heels again. "I was watching you sleep," he replied softly.

Sheepishly Calleigh nibbled at her lip, feeling the heat rush quickly to her cheeks. Already Eric had left her blushing more times than anybody else she had ever been with, and if she were honest with herself, Calleigh didn't dislike it. "Why?" she drawled quietly, shivering slightly as Eric's dark eyes flitted to her lips.

The teasing nibble of her lip was much too tantalizing to Eric – for just the briefest second, he marveled at the realization that he would never have to resist kissing her again. Hand lightly cupping her cheek, Eric leaned in and captured her lips, kissing her softly. Sweet, simple, yet oh so perfect – the icing on the sweetest cake was the soft whimper that reached his ears as he pulled back once more. "Because you're beautiful," he murmured, letting his touch drift slowly into her sleep-tousled hair. The strands shimmered like gold between his fingers, mesmerizing him with its softness, its beauty. _Her_ beauty. "_So_ beautiful…"

Calleigh gave a soft sigh of his name, her cheeks bearing the most adorable hint of pink that Eric had ever witnessed. She left him with a dilemma – the emerald of her eyes, the rosy tint of her cheeks, or the shimmery gold of her hair…Eric could no longer decide which color was his favorite. Forgoing the making of that impossible decision, Eric instead chose to capture her lips once more, his heart leaping as she responded eagerly.

Their lips meshed with a slow, sweet rhythm that was so very reminiscent of the seamless way their bodies had moved together the night before. Kissing her was addictive, something Eric knew he'd never get enough of, and he found it nearly impossible to break away from her. He didn't go far, though; Calleigh's soft whimper of protest had him pressing a kiss to the corner of her lips, then tracing his lips along the curve of her jaw. He shifted beside her, and Calleigh giggled quietly as the kisses trailed downward.

Automatically she tilted her head, offering him better access to the creamy skin of her throat. "Eric…" she murmured, shivering as his lips lingered over the erratic beat of her pulse.

A protest it was not, and Eric smiled against her skin, continuing his sweet seduction. She squirmed lightly as his tongue dipped in the juncture of her shoulder and her throat, and Eric knew that by the time they went back to Miami, he would have a mental catalogue of the spots that turned her to jelly in his arms. And then, when they made it home, he'd make it his mission to find the rest of those spots and pay each of them the attention they were due. For the meantime, his lips continued along the path he'd set out, ending with a lingering kiss to her bare shoulder. His breath tickled her skin, and Eric's heart fluttered as her eyes slowly opened. Her eyes met his, and, holding her gaze, Eric dropped one last kiss to her shoulder. "Merry Christmas," he breathed, mesmerized by the vision of beauty before him.

Before Calleigh could react, Eric was moving, rising to a sitting position with a playful grin on his lips – to Calleigh, he looked like he was the kid who'd gotten everything he'd wanted on Christmas morning. And with a sudden flutter of butterfly wings in her stomach, she realized that if he was anything like her, that was possibly exactly how he was feeling.

The thought left her smiling uncontrollably, though it faded slightly as the reason for Eric's sudden movement became clear to her. His eyes sparkled as he retrieved a small, elongated box from the nightstand drawer. It was wrapped in shiny emerald paper and tied with a simple, silver bow. Calleigh felt her heart skip a beat, and she too sat up, letting the covers pool at her hips. "Eric…"

The uncertainty was clear in her voice, though it only made Eric's grin wider. He'd expected that from her; after all, twelve hours ago, they weren't even _them_ yet, not technically, at least – though the first move had yet to be made, Eric knew he'd been in love with her for years. Reaching out, he took her hand and placed the box against her palm. Her eyes watched the motion, almost mesmerized as Eric gently curled her fingers around the box. "Open it," he murmured, shifting beside her again. His new position placed him practically behind her, and unable to resist, he dropped another slow kiss to her shoulder, chuckling as she continued simply to gaze down at the box in her hands.

She remained motionless until she felt Eric's lips close playfully over her earlobe, the gentle tug leaving her body covered in goosebumps. "Eric, I can't…" she murmured, softly shaking her head.

Amused, Eric chuckled against her skin. "I know, I know – you're supposed to open Christmas presents in front of the tree," he teased, playfully nudging the strap of the pajama top she'd put back on the night before out of the way. It fell limply against her upper arm, and Eric brushed his lips over the tiny patch of skin he'd revealed. "Not in bed. But I thought maybe you'd want to make an exception, just once…"

Preemptively, he brushed his fingers through Calleigh's soft blonde locks, reveling in the smoothness as the strands threaded between – not even the finest silk could ever compare, Eric was certain. Gathering her hair, he gently draped the locks over her right shoulder, pausing to press a kiss to the skin he'd uncovered on the other side. The motion seemed to draw Calleigh from her trance, and with a slight tremble in her fingers, she slowly tugged the silver bow free, letting it fall forgotten to the bedspread. "I really shouldn't…" she insisted, gingerly picking at the emerald paper.

Eric didn't reply; he simply watched her fingers with quiet fascination as she peeled away at the paper at an agonizingly slow pace. His own heart was pounding, and he couldn't help but wonder if she could hear it, maybe even feel it against her back as he peered over her shoulder. The anticipation was killing him, and it was all he could do not to reach around and rip the box open himself. "Calleigh…" he groaned playfully, nuzzling lightly at her neck. "You're driving me crazy…"

The low rumble of his voice left her shivering, but while she enjoyed the playful teasing, her own anticipation was quickly overpowering her. A giddy smile quickly tugged at her lips, and with a deep breath, she ripped the rest of the paper off to reveal the plain, white box beneath. With a cursory glance to Eric, who'd rested his chin atop her shoulder as he watched, Calleigh gently pried the lid from the box.

And what was revealed inside was enough to steal away her breath. Emerald eyes were greeted by the soft sparkle of diamonds, and just as she had before, Calleigh felt her smile slowly fade a bit in stunned silence, the only word she could manage a hushed whisper of his name. "Eric…"

She was speechless, and Eric couldn't help but grin widely. He knew Calleigh had never been one for elaborate jewelry, but the necklace contained within the box in her hand had been perfect for her. Several weeks before, Eric had accompanied an old friend on a quest for the perfect gift for his fiancée, and somehow Eric had been the only one of the two not going home empty handed. He'd seen the necklace and found himself unable to pass it by – it'd had Calleigh's name written all over it. It was subtle yet beautiful, and at Calleigh's continued immobility, Eric chuckled softly. "You like it?" he asked, snaking his arms slowly around her waist. With fingers far steadier than Calleigh's, he slowly extricated the necklace from its box, letting the diamonds shimmer as they moved in the light. The sparkle wasn't quite as brilliant as the one Eric loved seeing in Calleigh's eyes, but then again, nothing could compare to that. Separating the ends of the chain, Eric gently looped the necklace around her neck, letting his touch linger against her skin as he took his time with the clasp.

The diamonds fell along her neckline, and Calleigh lifted a hand, gently taking them between her fingers as Eric hooked the clasp. It _was_ beautiful, and she _did_ like it, but it was clear that it was not a piece of inexpensive jewelry. Swallowing hard, she allowed the diamonds to fall once more against her skin. "Eric, when did you…"

Her voice trailed off once more into silent awe, and Eric smiled brightly as he looped his arms once more around her waist from behind. "A while back," he murmured simply, brushing his lips softly against her temple. "I saw it…and couldn't help but think of you."

Closing her eyes, Calleigh's mind drifted to the gift stowed away in her own bag for Eric , and while it too was not on the inexpensive side, somehow that seemed different. Her fingers once more found the diamonds along her neckline, and finally her smile returned fully. There was something intimate about his gift, and Calleigh couldn't help but find herself thrilled by it. "You really shouldn't have, you know," she whispered, feeling her heart bubble over with contentment.

"Nah, you're wrong about that," Eric breathed, pressing a kiss to the spot behind her ear. One kiss, two, a third, and then his fingers were lacing sweetly with hers in her lap. With every word that he breathed, his lips caressed her skin, leaving Calleigh unable to catch her breath. "Do you have any idea how happy you've made me?" He paused, delighting in the soft whimper of pleasure that escaped her as he nuzzled against her. When he continued, his voice took on a deep, husky tone, leaving Calleigh no choice but to melt in his arms, bearing no defense to his seduction – and glad for that. "You're so beautiful…_so_ beautiful."

Releasing her hands, Eric slowly trailed his fingertips over her bare arms, feeling the goosebumps rise beneath his touch. "I never want to let you go," he breathed, and Calleigh couldn't help but gasp softly as his hands came together along her neckline, his fingertips reverently caressing both the diamonds and her soft skin…but mostly her skin. "You deserve so much more than just this. And if you'll let me, I want to give you so much more…"

She squirmed against him, feeling suddenly dizzied by his proximity. His scent, so masculine and uniquely Eric, was washing over her in waves with every breath she took. The slow, open-mouthed kisses he laved upon the base of her throat would've destroyed her concentration completely if Calleigh hadn't been trying so desperately to hold on. But before she could let go, she couldn't let herself forget about her own gift for him. Eyes still closed, she attempted to extricate herself from his arms, but Eric only smirked and held her that much tighter. "Eric…" she protested, shivering as his fingertips skimmed beneath the hem of her top, unabashedly exploring the soft, taut skin beneath.

He was driving her crazy with kisses to every inch of skin he could reach, and while at the moment that only meant her shoulders and her throat, it was more than enough to draw from her the soft whimpers, the quiet sighs that Eric had fallen in love with the night before. While his fingers quested beneath her top, he brushed his lips back toward the spot behind her ear, knowing she could feel his breath against her sensitized skin. "Hmm?"

When Calleigh found the breath to reply, there was no conviction whatsoever in her whispered words. "Stop seducing me…"

Eric gave an answering chuckle, once more catching her earlobe playfully between his teeth. His words held all the conviction that Calleigh's had lacked. "Not a chance."

It took all of her willpower to resist when all she wanted was to give into him, but Calleigh knew if she let him have his – and _her_ – way now, she would never make it out of the bed long enough to retrieve his gift. With a low sigh, she captured his roaming hands, stopping them in their tracks. Eric gave a quiet protest as she slowly pulled them away from her body, but the protest became a grin of surprise and desire as she shifted against him, straddling him as she turned to face him.

He was much too easy to predict, and Calleigh couldn't help but grin herself as his hands went immediately to her hips. His gaze, however, alighted along her neckline, drinking in the sight of the diamonds shimmering against her creamy skin. The sparkle in her eyes and her still tousled hair, along with the pink tint in her cheeks from his appreciative scrutiny completed the vision that Eric knew he'd never get enough of. "God, you're gorgeous," he murmured, once more awestruck by her beauty.

Hands on his shoulders, Calleigh captured his lips in lieu of a verbal reply. But it was merely a teasing kiss, meant to ratchet up Eric's heartbeat and leave him wanting more – before he had a chance to deepen it, Calleigh was breaking the kiss. She lingered, though, and Eric found it difficult to protest when she was still oh so close to him. "Cal…"

Another kiss. Then a whispered command against his lips, and Calleigh knew she'd finally gained the upper hand. "Stay here."

She squirmed against him, purposely elaborating her motions as she pulled away from him. Her intent was clear, and Eric did not approve – he wanted her to stay right there. "Mm…where are _you _going?"

Calleigh grinned, stealing one last kiss. "You'll see."

His curiosity was piqued enough that Eric didn't protest as Calleigh slipped off of his lap and out of the bed. Her bare feet hit the cold floor below, and Eric had to bite back the urge to pull her back into his arms as she gave a visible shiver. She grinned through it, though, and with a playful wink, she turned and made her way quickly toward the bedroom door.

If the flirty wink hadn't done him in, the mesmerizing sway of her hips as she moved was definitely enough to leave him appreciatively licking his lips. She was amazing, and just as amazing was the fact that she was now _his_, just as much as he was hers. He'd never really known what real love was, but the sensation he was basking in now, this heart-fluttering, all-encompassing emotion…there was no doubt in his mind that was what it was.

He was in love with her. In love, and falling farther every time he thought he couldn't fall any more.

It was only a few moments before Calleigh slipped back into the room, but to Eric, the short absence felt like an eternity. The grin on her lips sent Eric's stomach into a somersault as she approached the bed, her hands hidden behind her back. Her eyes sparkled as she maneuvered her way back onto the bed, reclaiming the spot she'd only just vacated. Between that grin and that sparkle, it was all Eric could do not to lean forward and kiss her with everything he had, but before he could act on that desire, Calleigh was revealing what she'd kept hidden behind her back. "Merry Christmas," she cooed, holding out a small wrapped box, similar to the one she herself had just opened.

Taking the box into his hands, Eric lifted a teasing brow. Playfully, Calleigh rolled her eyes in response. "I know, I know – it makes all my protesting a bit hypocritical," she admitted with a smile, lifting a hand to brush her fingers reverently over the diamonds at her neckline, much to Eric's delight. "I, uh, I hope you like it as much as I love mine, though," she added, her words widening Eric's grin.

His thoughts drifted back to the magical night before as his fingers tugged at the ribbons tied neatly around the box, and Eric couldn't help but chuckle quietly. "I thought I told you I'd already gotten everything I wanted, though," he recalled softly.

Calleigh's cheeks flushed, remembering that particular conversation – as well as the delicious events that had followed – all too clearly. Smiling sheepishly, she ducked her head, her fingers picking absently at a stray thread on the comforter. "You did," she acknowledged quietly, pausing for a moment before her emerald gaze once more met Eric's. "However, I also remember you saying that you wouldn't say no to more…"

Eric couldn't help but smirk. "That's true," he conceded, tearing the wrapping paper from the box in his hands. "Although, I believe I meant more of _you_…"

The seductive comment only deepened the blush in Calleigh's cheeks. Tilting her head toward the gift, she tucked her hair behind her ears, struggling to fight back the bubbly feeling his words elicited in her. "Just open your present," she commanded sweetly, grinning adorably.

Getting Calleigh flustered was far too much fun, Eric decided. Definitely something he would have to spend more time doing in the future. Just the thought of that left him feeling even happier – their future together. And this was only the beginning of it. Complying with her request, Eric pushed the discarded paper out of the way and set about opening the case he'd revealed. With a sense of excitement that he couldn't quite contain, he carefully opened the case.

His eyes widened as the contents were revealed to him – a shiny new watch that left him glancing to Calleigh, almost certain that one of them, either the watch or Calleigh herself, might not be real. "Wow, Calleigh…" he murmured, the awe plain on his face as he gently lifted the watch from the case. It was clear from first glance that there was nothing cheap about it – it was the kind of watch Eric had allowed himself to covet for mere minutes before turning his back on it, choosing something much kinder to his budget. That choice clearly hadn't worked out in the end – he had no idea where the remains of that watch had ended up. It was always a hazard to wear something valuable in their line of work; there was no telling when something would happen – Eric knew, in fact, that Calleigh's reason for wearing so much black nowadays was because she'd ended up with many a lighter outfit rendered unwearable by a spill or another case-related incident.

His old, well-worn watch had fallen victim to a similar case-related calamity, and Eric had simply never had the time or the money to suitably replace it. Now, thanks to Calleigh who was grinning as though _she_ had just opened the best gift, he wouldn't have to. "How did you know?" he asked, smiling happily as he slowly secured the watch around his wrist – a perfect fit.

Calleigh shrugged, her eyes lighting up at the clear delight on Eric's face. She'd worried it would've been a bit much, but all her worries were certainly at rest now. "I, uh, I'd noticed that you hadn't bought a new one," she said quietly. "Or if you had, you weren't wearing it…" Pausing, she shrugged once more, nibbling thoughtfully at her lip. "I'd never seen you without it though until it was broken, and I just assumed you'd never replaced it – it just seemed strange to see you without one, I guess."

Eric would be the first to admit that he was feeling a bit too much excitement over a watch – he felt like a kid on Christmas morning who had just opened the best present ever. But it wasn't just the watch that left him feeling so over the moon. "Leave it to you to notice the little things like that." His words carried the awe that he still felt – so many years he'd spent thinking Calleigh was out of his league; to hear her admit to noticing him enough to know when something was different…it was overwhelming to him.

He lifted his eyes just as Calleigh averted hers. It was clear she was suppressing a smile as she nibbled sheepishly at her lip – it was adorable, and Eric tilted his head, an amused grin teasing at his own lips. "What?"

Calleigh shrugged. "I just…" She paused, feeling the heat in her cheeks. The confession was bubbling up within her, almost overflowing just like the giddiness that left her fidgeting with excess energy. But why hide it, she wondered. All of the deeper emotion had come to the surface last night – even if it did leave her cheeks tinting, what need was there to keep it to herself? "It's _you_, Eric," she continued quietly, almost so softly that Eric could barely hear her. "I – I couldn't help but notice."

She cleared her throat, her eyes darting downward rather suddenly – the feeling of complete openness to him was still new to her, after all. "And you were always asking what time it was," she added quickly. "Or pulling out your phone to look, or –"

With a whimper of surprise, Calleigh abruptly found herself cut off as the hand that now wore the watch quickly found the back of her neck, pulling her in quickly for a kiss that left her reeling. She responded happily once the sudden shock had passed, allowing Eric easy access to her mouth. Shivers danced along her spine as their tongues sought each other out, mingling in a kiss that was languid yet breathtakingly passionate. Bracing herself with a hand on his thigh, Calleigh leaned closer, wanting as much of him as she could possibly get – or maybe he was pulling her closer; Calleigh couldn't really tell, nor did she want to expend the energy thinking about it.

Against her lips Eric gave a soft groan, finding himself drowning in her sweetness, both her taste and her intoxicating scent. The softness of her lips against his would be enough to leave him dizzied by desire every single time, but coupled with everything else about the woman who was suddenly in his arms matching his demanding kiss stride for stride, it was enough to drive him wild.

Without breaking the kiss that had become more essential than oxygen, Eric slowly gave into the temptation to lay back, bringing her with him as his head softly hit the pillow. Calleigh gave a quiet mewl of pleasure, a sound that left Eric utterly melting. If that weren't enough, her hands had begun to roam, her fingertips dusting almost innocent brushes over his chest, his shoulders; touches so light they were like feathers to his skin.

Her locks of blonde fell around them as they kissed, locking them away from the world with a curtain of soft vanilla. Just him and her, and Calleigh knew she could happily stay like that forever. Unfortunately, the slow burn in her lungs was quickly deciding otherwise for her – it was becoming far too much to ignore, and reluctantly Calleigh broke the sweet connection between their lips just enough to take in a deep breath of air. Stars danced before her eyes as they slowly fluttered opened, though quickly they cleared enough for her emerald gaze to meet the deep chocolate orbs that belonged to the man who was unquestionably her other half. The shiver that coursed through her body was inescapable as the depth of emotion in his dark eyes washed over her, submerging her in an emotion she hadn't quite known before Eric.

Panting slightly, Eric lifted a hand, brushing his fingers through her locks of golden blonde. His palm skirted her cheek, and Eric couldn't ignore the way his heart fluttered as she leaned into his touch, craving as much of it as she could get. "You're amazing; you know that?" he breathed, languidly stroking her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Amazing…"

Calleigh grinned shyly, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering about madly. It was inconceivable, the way he managed to make her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world just with his eyes, his voice. And in doing that, he had given her the best Christmas morning she'd had in a long time. It was almost childlike, the sense of holiday joy he had rekindled within her; holiday joy that had all but been extinguished in her youth.

Christmas and love; both of them he had made magical for her.

Reverently Calleigh traced her fingertips along his jaw, tickled slightly by the stubble that grew there. Her breathy words did little to convey all that she truly felt inside, but Calleigh forced that from her mind, knowing she would have many more Christmases to fall in love with him, all over again. "Merry Christmas, Eric," she murmured softly, her gaze locked with his.

It certainly was, Eric thought as his heart leapt within his chest. And then Calleigh's lips found his once more, and that was the end of his thinking.

--

The snow was lightly falling once more outside the cabin, issuing a soft glow in the otherwise darkened night. On the inside, the light was just as sparse and ethereal, provided by the almost ignored flicker of the television, the dying embers of firelight, and the soft, romantic glow of candlelight. And yet, none of it went at all noticed by the couple curled up together on the couch, much too absorbed in one another to note anything else.

It wasn't until the fire was gone and the screen silent – both of which were started hours beforehand – that the small bubble of their private world broke through to the surface, leaving them both suddenly disoriented, lost within a haze of each other. Long, lazy kisses, slowly wandering hands, and an ever growing desperate need to be impossibly close to one another had left them tangled together in the blankets, becoming more and more entwined with every minute that passed.

By mere chance, Eric glanced toward the suddenly silent television as Calleigh shifted against him. "I think the movie's over," he murmured, stroking his fingers through her hair.

Calleigh gave a soft hum, finally drawing herself away from the light kisses she'd been laving randomly along the base of his neck. Lifting her head and shifting again, she turned toward the blank screen, eyes blinking in confusion. "So…um, what movie were we watching?" she asked with a soft burst of laughter, shivering as Eric tilted his head and gently caught her earlobe with his lips. Quietly she moaned, unable to fight the urge to close her eyes.

Teasingly he swirled his tongue against her earlobe, loving the way Calleigh tensed in his arms. The idea that he could be the one to drive her so very out of her mind was exhilarating, a high he could never get enough of. Chuckling softly, he released her earlobe only to drop a lingering kiss to the sweet spot just beneath. "I don't really think we _were_ watching," he breathed, another low chuckle emanating from deep in his throat. "And to think, I had such big plans for us to watch Christmas movies together all day today…" he teased.

Fighting against the warmth that surrounded her, Calleigh gently extricated herself from Eric's embrace, but only just enough for her to lift her head and meet his gaze. For the moment, she ignored the chill that surrounded her, knowing she'd be back in the warmth in due time. "Was that what you actually had planned when you first asked me to come with you?" she asked softly, a warm smile tugging at her lips.

For a moment, Eric was silent as he recalled the very sparse plans he'd had in the beginning – or rather, the plans that Valera had put into his head. The corner of his lips quirked; he would have to remember to thank her from the bottom of his heart. "To be honest, I really didn't have any plans when I asked you…I guess I never really thought that you would say yes."

Calleigh nodded slowly, nibbling at her lip. But before she could piece together a response, Eric was speaking again, saving her for the moment. "I did, however, think we would spend Christmas day together, obviously since we _are_ here together," he smirked, drawing a quiet giggle from the blonde in his lap. "However, if last night hadn't happened like it had," he continued, drawing his fingertips over her soft shoulders, "I think we might've actually watched whatever movie we just _pretended_ to watch."

Calleigh tilted her head, grinning. "Probably would've known what the movie actually was, too," she added, her eyes adopting her characteristic playful sparkle.

With a satisfied sigh, Eric rested his head against the back of the couch, turning his eyes thoughtfully upward as his thoughts drifted to the morning they had shared together. "This morning would've been a _lot_ different," he added, bringing his gaze back to Calleigh. He smiled; he couldn't get over just how incredibly beautiful she was.

Shrugging, she continued his train of thought. "Wouldn't have fixed Christmas breakfast together…"

Eric tilted his head thoughtfully. "Nah, we probably still would've done that," he corrected, grinning. "It's the kisses you kept stealing while I was trying to make those cinnamon rolls you wanted that probably wouldn't have happened."

Calleigh laughed. "Me?" she protested, incredulous. "I'm pretty sure that was mostly _you_!"

The memories of the morning's events washed over him once more, and Eric smiled wistfully. "Maybe it was," he conceded, drawing a fingertip over the soft skin of her upper arm. It took her a moment, but Calleigh couldn't help but smile when she realized the shape he was tracing – a small heart. "But that was because you wouldn't stop teasing me," he added.

Shrugging her shoulders, Calleigh felt the teasing grin tug at her lips and made no effort to suppress it. "I didn't hear you ask me to stop," she replied sweetly, playfully batting her lashes.

"That's not something you will _ever_ hear from me," Eric murmured, his quiet voice suddenly serious. His eyes had gone contemplative; so very dark and intense, and Calleigh found herself shivering beneath his gaze.

Lifting a hand, she slowly tucked her slightly tousled hair behind her ears. The abrupt shift in mood left her body feeling overly flushed, heated by a myriad of emotions that she couldn't even think about trying to separate. It would require too much thought, too much analysis on her part, and right now, all she wanted to do was curl up with Eric and watch the snow fall outside until she fell asleep in his warm arms. "Well, I'm glad things turned out differently than we expected," she admitted quietly, lacing her fingers with his beneath the blankets.

As though knowing exactly what she wanted, Eric shifted slightly, pulling her close as he lay back on the couch. Immediately she snuggled deep into his embrace, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Her breath tickled his skin, and Eric swallowed hard, finding it near impossible not to stray into the vision in his mind – she was the rightful owner of his heart, and it was already far too easy to see himself giving her not a necklace, but another piece of diamond jewelry, one that would cement the rest of his future with her. It was almost overpowering, the vision, and when he spoke again, his voice was hushed, almost heavy with emotion. "I'm glad you came with me," he breathed, nuzzling softly into Calleigh's hair. Eyes closed, he breathed in deeply, savoring her scent and letting it wash over him with every breath he took. A million breaths he could take, and Eric knew it would still never be enough.

Calleigh closed her eyes, feeling her heart swell within her chest. Against her ribcage it pounded out a quick, fluttery rhythm, one that echoed perfectly the beat of the heart over which she'd rested the palm of her hand. She brushed her lips against his throat once and again. "Me too," she whispered, a sleepy smile gracing her lips as she realized the two simple words were some of the truest she'd ever spoken.

Outside, the snow continued to fall, draping the world in a magical winter wonderland. In the beginning, Calleigh had been impossibly excited about the prospect of witnessing her very first white Christmas, but now, as she snuggled into the unending warmth of Eric's arms, she knew that the softly falling snow was merely the frosting on the already perfect Christmas cookie.

All clichés aside, this truly was the best Christmas ever.


	10. ten

_**-six years later-**_

Despite her love of early morning sunshine, Calleigh could not be happier to awake to an overcast sky. On a morning like this, she knew what that meant, and it was enough to leave her smiling softly, content to simply lay in the arms of the man who had made the past six years of her life so very perfect. Her sleepy eyes drifted to the ring upon her left hand, her smile widening as memories of the day he'd placed it upon her finger swept over her. She could still see the reverence in his eyes; she could still feel the flutter of her heart as he mouthed a silent _I love you_ to her. And she could still taste his lips against hers as they'd shared their first kiss as husband and wife…the memory still elicited goosebumps along her skin and shivers down her spine.

So much had happened in the six years since the very first kiss they'd shared that night, in this very cabin. It had led to the beginning of a whirlwind romance that had taken her breath away at every turn; every kiss, every embrace, every heated night together, and before she could even stop to catch her breath, it seemed she had everything she'd ever wanted and more.

And for the first time in her life, Calleigh had felt as if she belonged to a family. Certainly, she'd always had her brothers on her side growing up, but they'd all gone their separate ways, and Calleigh wasn't too keen on the idea of looking back. And her parents…even now, the relationship she had with both of them remained strained, if it existed at all.

But Clorinda Delko had taken her in immediately, she recalled with a smile. The first time Eric had brought her to dinner with his family, Calleigh had spent a great deal of the evening in absolute awe. It was the polar opposite of the family she'd grown up with – smiles, laughter, and certainly no lack of childhood stories that left Calleigh laughing and Eric grinning sheepishly.

It was the family she'd never had…and she'd felt a bit of a lump form in her throat the first time Clorinda had embraced her, addressing her as _mi hija_. She felt so at home with his family, and just the idea that they considered her to be a part of that family…it brought a smile to her lips every time she thought about it.

It always amazed her, how she'd grown so lucky after the childhood she'd experienced. But with Eric, it seemed everything had quickly begun falling into place…and quickly it had truly been. Looking back at the past six years often left Calleigh's head spinning, but as far as she was concerned, that was part of the thrill of it. She knew she wouldn't change a thing – not from the headfirst leap into the most serious relationship of her life, to the swift engagement that had led to the elaborate wedding that Calleigh had _never_ imagined herself having, but which couldn't have been more perfect in the end. And every day since then, Calleigh had felt nothing short of utterly blessed. The happiness she'd found with Eric was everything she'd always secretly wished for as a child, but also everything she'd slowly stopped believing in, until he'd shown her that not only did it exist, but it existed _for her._

A soft rustling of blankets drew her slowly from her thoughts, and Calleigh didn't have to wait for long before she felt a strong arm loop around her, drawing her back flush against his chest. Unable and unwilling to hold it back, Calleigh let out a peaceful, contented sigh, letting her eyes flutter closed once again. It was just one of the many things she loved about being with him – she had _always_ been a morning person, but there was just something about waking up with him, with his arms around her, that always managed to create the perfect beginning to any day.

She smiled happily, feeling the goosebumps rise over her skin as he nuzzled softly into her hair, his low, husky voice leaving her shivering deliciously. "Mmm…merry Christmas…"

"Merry Christmas to you too," Calleigh murmured, giggling softly as his lips tickled her neck. "And guess what?" she continued, forcing her eyes open again. She paused, waiting for his questioning hum, low and sensual to her ears. "Look to the window…"

There wasn't much to be seen but the grey sky from where he lay, and truthfully, Eric wasn't exactly willing to move – he was perfectly content to stay where he was, beneath the covers with Calleigh in his arms. "What about it?" he murmured, pressing another kiss into her blonde locks.

Calleigh giggled softly. "The sky…it looks like snow," she whispered, unable to quench the excitement in the words. "Snow on Christmas…"

The excitement in her voice left Eric grinning – there was nothing more adorable than excited Calleigh. It made sense to him now, and as he glanced a second time to the window, he did notice the subtle difference between a simply overcast sky, and an overcast sky that held the promise of snowfall to come, or snow already on the ground. And because he knew that would make Calleigh happiest, he hoped it was both. "It does," he agreed. "Wow…how long has it been?"

"Since we've had snow?" Calleigh pursed her lips, thinking for a moment. "It's been awhile…maybe three years?" she mused aloud, snuggling lightly into his embrace. "We had some flurries a couple years ago, but I think the last real snow was three Christmases ago."

Eric hummed in acknowledgment. "Three years…"

Spending Christmas at this cabin had become tradition, and Calleigh knew she would have it no other way. But out of all those years, only two had brought them the same white Christmas they'd shared together that very first year…three if they counted the occasional flurries a couple years back. And since the snow had been such an integral part of that first excursion six years before, it had felt as though something important was missing. "I missed the snow," she sighed, gently drawing her fingertips along his arm. "It felt like something was missing without it…"

In response, he tightened his arms around her, drawing her closer, never wanting to let go. He grinned, pressing a kiss behind her ear. "Well, we _could_ always move…" With a chuckle, Eric shifted slightly, lifting his head enough to drop a kiss to her temple. "Somewhere with snow year-round, if that's what you want."

Calleigh giggled softly. "That's okay," she replied, smiling as Eric's lips continued to caress her skin. "Snow at Christmas is…it's special, you know? But I don't think I could handle it any other time of the year."

"Somehow, I didn't think so," he teased good-naturedly. A slow smile crept across his lips as he loosened his arms around her, only enough to allow his fingertips to flutter over her abdomen. "Not right now, anyway." He paused for a moment, gently splaying his palm over Calleigh's softly rounded tummy. When he spoke again, Calleigh found herself melting at the affection in his voice, despite the playful teasing in his words. "You let me know in a few months though, once it starts getting hot again…you might be changing your mind this year."

Watching the motion of his hand over her abdomen, Calleigh smiled softly. Over the last few months, it had seemed that he just couldn't keep his hands off of her, almost as if protecting her, protecting the tiny life growing within. It left her heart fluttering wildly, and with a slight tremble in her fingers, she brought her own hand to her abdomen, gently laying it atop his, interlocking their fingers.

It never failed to take her breath away, the sight of their fingers entwined like that. His hand, large and caring; her hand, small and seemingly delicate. They fit together so perfectly, the perfect mix of caramel and vanilla, visual evidence of how perfectly and how easily they fit in each other's lives. And every time she thought it couldn't get any more perfect, it did – case in point, the tiny life growing within her, half her and half him.

She wasn't sure how long they lay there intertwined like that, but eventually it was Eric's low voice that brought her from her thoughts and back to a reality that was just as perfect as those thoughts. "Is baby Delko awake yet?" he breathed, gently squeezing her fingers.

Calleigh smiled softly. "Don't think so yet," she replied quietly. "Shouldn't be long, though, she's always right on time…"

Eric chuckled. "Punctual. Like her mother."

Calleigh gave a soft hum of amusement. Squeezing his hand, she shifted against him, slowly rolling onto her back beside him. Immediately she sought out his dark eyes, her heart swelling at the affection, the love she quickly found in them. "You know, I've been thinking again," she admitted softly. "About names…"

The simple admission brought a quick smile to Eric's face. "Oh really? You don't think it's a bit early?" The statement completely contradicted the excitement in his voice, though. "We're still only a little over five months," he added, his fingertips skimming gently over the cotton fabric covering her softly rounded tummy.

She couldn't help but shiver, though she was unsure if it was due to his subtle touch, or if it was from the intensity in his deep brown eyes. Or perhaps – and this was much more likely – it was the use of _we _in his sentence, rather than simply _you._ Smiling softly, she lifted a hand to his lightly stubbled cheek. "Well, if there's one thing we've learned, it's that it's never too early…"

"This is _very_ true," Eric agreed with a chuckle, beginning a slow caress of gentle circles along her abdomen. "So what are you thinking about?" he asked, and though he'd been the one to suggest it was too early, there was no way he could hide the fact that he was much too excited to discuss names himself.

Thoughtfully, Calleigh simply watched the motion of his hand for a moment, reveling in just how natural it all felt – the motion, and the entire moment. Laying in bed beside him, wearing the ring he'd placed upon her finger, carrying his child…it was all perfection, and Calleigh felt the inevitable smile tug at her lips. "My favorite is Emma," she breathed, losing herself in his eyes. She grinned. "But that's just today. Tomorrow it might be Holly, the next day it might be Ana or Isabelle or…Kendall is pretty too…" She trailed off, and Eric couldn't help but smile warmly at the excitement in her voice.

He lowered his head, softly brushing his lips over her forehead. "They're beautiful…"

Calleigh lifted an eyebrow, though her smile didn't fade. "But?"

Eric grinned. "Nothing. Just…you _do_ know that those are all girl names, right?"

She gave a soft giggle, gently lacing her fingers with his. "I know." Pausing for a moment, she searched his eyes, shivering just a bit at the intensity of the affection, the love found within. She grinned playfully. "What's your point?" she teased, her eyes sparkling.

With a smirk, Eric lay their joined hands once more over her belly. "I'm just saying," he said playfully, brushing a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. He did it again when Calleigh giggled – he adored that sound, utterly adored it. "Could be a boy…"

Calleigh smiled, glancing at their hands. "I don't think so," she replied quietly after a moment, her eyes contemplative. "You ever have that feeling about something, where you just _know_?" Pausing, she offered a sheepish smile. "I just _know."_

Her conviction was enough for him. He glanced down at their joined hands with a newfound reverence, gently squeezing her hand. "A girl…"

His words led them into a contemplative silence, and Calleigh could tell by the faraway look in Eric's eyes that he was happily entertaining the idea of another little Delko princess to spoil. The thought left Calleigh smiling as well, though there were other things lurking just beneath the surface. "You know, we might have to find a new cabin next year too…" For the first time all morning, Calleigh felt her smile fade slightly. Sometimes, more space was a necessity, even on a short vacation away. But that didn't mean that the prospect of seeking out a new winter getaway didn't sadden her. There were just too many memories here, memories she wasn't ready to leave behind.

As soon as the words had fallen from her lips, Eric had perceived the shift in her mood. Ducking his head, he pressed his lips softly against her forehead, feeling more than hearing the soft sigh that escaped her. "Luckily, we don't have to think about that right now," he pointed out, dotting playful kisses along her cheeks. Calleigh giggled as he nuzzled against her, his stubble tickling her skin. "It's Christmas."

He pulled back then, offering a playful wink as he slowly made his way down the bed, bringing his face level with her stomach. "And Baby Girl Delko doesn't like when Mommy is sad on Christmas…do you, beautiful?" he breathed, nuzzling softly against the soft swell of her tummy. "You'll still be a tiny little princess next Christmas, so maybe we still have another year or two here…"

Calleigh felt her heart melt as Eric continued to murmur softly to the baby, bringing a hand to his lightly stubbled cheek. It was the moments like this that Calleigh couldn't deny just how truly lucky she was. "I love you," she murmured softly, the emotion clear in her emerald eyes.

Eric smiled softly, and with the gentlest fingers he tenderly brushed the bottom hem of her top upward, just enough to expose her lightly rounded tummy. "I love you too," he breathed, and Calleigh shivered as he pressed his lips to her skin. Once more, and again he did it before allowing Calleigh to draw him upward again. His hand, however, lingered against her soft skin, fingers tracing gentle circles, just light enough to quicken her breath.

He hovered above her for a moment longer, playfully brushing his nose against hers before closing the space between and capturing her lips in a tender kiss. One kiss quickly became two, and two soon became too many to count. It was never anything less than perfection, the way his lips caressed and teased hers, melding together again and again, and Calleigh knew that if there was nothing else on the agenda, she could quite easily be content to lay here and kiss him like this for hours and hours.

It would be so easy, _too_ easy to lose herself in his kisses, to silence everything but the deepest desires of her body, but things weren't the same as they once were, and Calleigh simply couldn't ignore that. "Eric," she murmured against his lips, shivering beneath the feel of his fingers teasing her abdomen, creeping higher and higher along her skin. "Eric, we can't…" She trailed off into a moan as he nipped gently at her lips, and Calleigh had to force her lips away lest she lose herself completely. "It's Christmas morning," she protested, as though that simple declaration explained everything.

Eric pulled back, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "I know…" he breathed, his fingertips oh so lightly skimming the underside of a breast. Calleigh's breath hitched softly, and Eric couldn't help but grin. "Means I get to open my Christmas present," he added, ducking his head to draw his lips along her jaw.

Calleigh giggled, the soft, sweet cadence trailing into little more than a moan of delight as his lips found the sensitive spot beneath her ear, the one that, once he'd discovered it, he'd made it his mission to tease and nuzzle every time the chance presented itself. And Calleigh certainly couldn't say she minded…

But it still didn't change the current situation – they had, after all, left the door ajar before they'd gone to sleep the night before. "I – I believe you opened your present last night," she quipped, drawing his face back to hers with gentle hands. He met her eyes, and she shivered again before pulling him close, murmuring just one playful word against his lips before claiming them in a slow, shivery kiss. "Twice."

"So I did," he breathed. "Not my fault it keeps rewrapping itself…"

Calleigh laughed softly, fighting back the shiver that threatened to consume her. "Well, maybe if you behave right now, you'll get to open it again later tonight," she teased suggestively, drawing a gentle fingertip along the curve of his jaw.

Seemingly satisfied, Eric rolled back to his side, gazing down at Calleigh with a playful grin. "Is that a promise?"

"If you're good," Calleigh smirked, drawing him in for one last kiss. "Right now, I think we might be running out of alone time…"

Almost as if on cue, a slight creaking sound echoed through the room as the bedroom door began to open slowly, almost timidly. With a glance to Eric, Calleigh smiled softly as she pulled herself up, reclining against the headboard as Eric did the same, just in time for their early morning visitor to be revealed. Standing shyly in the doorway was five year old Isaiah and, just behind him and toting along her ever-present plush penguin was three year old Avery, yawning slightly and looking all of two minutes away from falling back asleep.

Isaiah, on the other hand, immediately perked up as soon as it became clear his parents were awake. He bounded into the room and catapulted himself onto the bed, his deep brown eyes brimming with excitement. "Merry Christmas!" he exclaimed, and Calleigh didn't have the heart to reprimand him for jumping on the bed this morning – it _was_, after all, Christmas.

Avery's approach was more delayed, her tiny feet shuffling almost heavily along the carpet. She'd had a much later night than Isaiah had – Isaiah had been eager to get into bed early, knowing he had to be good and go to sleep for Santa to come. But Avery had held onto wakefulness as long as she could, begging her father to share four bedtime stories before finally succumbing to the dreams that beckoned her. She yawned heavily, pausing at the side of the bed and looking expectantly upward. "Up?"

Before either Eric or Calleigh could move to reach for her, Isaiah, ever the perfect big brother, was reaching out to her, carefully helping her onto the bed. "Avery wants to go open presents now!" he said excitedly, his eyes wide. Once Avery was securely atop the bed, Isaiah resumed his enthusiastic bouncing, clearly eager to tear into his gifts downstairs. Eric recognized immediately the grin on his son's lips – it was a grin that could only be found on the face of a child on Christmas morning.

While Isaiah bounced happily on the bed, Avery was content to quickly climb into Eric's lap, snuggling into his arms in a way that never failed to melt Calleigh's heart. Even at three, she was already a Daddy's girl, and if ever there was anything certain, it was that Avery had had Eric wrapped around her little finger all the way from day one. She watched for a moment, delighting in the way Eric's eyes lit up – it was clear just from that how dearly he adored the little girl in his lap.

Isaiah was babbling again, and Calleigh couldn't help but chuckle softly, turning her attention back to him. "I told her we had to wait, though," he continued. He was obviously very proud of himself, and that pride had clearly been inherited from his father. She _knew_ that look in his eyes, as many times as she'd see it in Eric's eyes. In Isaiah's eyes, however, it was more innocent. Eric's pride, on the other hand, was often mischievous. But even despite the innocence in Isaiah's eyes, Calleigh could see just a bit of mischief beneath the surface. "Did you, now?" she asked, stretching lightly.

"Uh-huh!" Isaiah smiled brightly. "She wanted to open them earlier, but _I_ told her we had to wait until after eight. Just like you said."

Turning her head, Calleigh grinned softly as she took a good look at her daughter. She was adorable; tousled ringlets of dark blonde framing her face, the occasional yawn sneaking up on her and taking her by surprise. And as she rubbed lightly at her sleepy eyes, Calleigh didn't need much more to see through Isaiah's little scheme. Isaiah was smart, playfully cunning, just enough mischief inherited from his father. Despite the straight face he'd kept as he'd uttered the words, it was clear that Avery had not been awake long enough to generate the kind of enthusiasm rushing through Isaiah's veins.

Eric chuckled, and Calleigh turned her head again, suddenly enthralled by the gentle way his fingers threaded through Avery's dark blonde locks, softly stroking her hair. "Who says there _are_ presents?" he asked teasingly.

At that inquiry, Isaiah was silent, suddenly not wishing to give away the secret – the secret that Calleigh was very sure she already knew. But it didn't matter whether he spoke or not – Avery spoke up finally, her quiet, tired voice muffled slightly by Eric's chest. "Under the tree…"

Isaiah had the good grace to pause his bouncing, a sheepish look coming over his features. Calleigh laughed softly, lifting an eyebrow. "You two have already been downstairs this morning?"

Before Isaiah could offer an explanation, Avery was babbling softly again, her tiny hands gently flapping the wings on her plush penguin. "'Saiah woke me up and made me see the tree."

"I did not!" Isaiah protested immediately, and Calleigh couldn't help but smirk. He was, in all aspects, a miniature version of Eric, identical from his slight indignance all the way down to the way he'd stolen her heart. "We just wanted to see if Santa came!" he said, resuming his excited bouncing. "And he _did! _I _knew_ he would!"

"He ate the cookies too!" Avery chimed in, finally beginning to perk up. "Milk too! They were _all_ gone!" She paused, her face serious. "He was hungry!"

Calleigh exchanged a knowing look with Eric. "He sure was, wasn't he?" she teased, smirking.

Eric grinned. "Santa does love cookies. Especially ones made by little angels like you," he added, softly tapping Avery's nose.

Avery giggled, though Isaiah pouted indignantly. "I helped too!" he protested, and Calleigh couldn't help but grin. He had definitely helped with the cookies…until he'd become more interested in sneaking bites of cookie dough. Just like his father, Calleigh mused happily. She drew her attention back to the three of them, her family, smiling contentedly. "So what else did you find downstairs…when you should've been still in bed sleeping?" she asked playfully, grinning at Isaiah.

He looked sheepish for a mere moment, but it was soon replaced once more with excitement. "Lots of presents!" he exclaimed, his eyes bright. "Maybe hundreds of them!" Calleigh and Eric exchanged a playful smirk; there were definitely not hundreds of gifts beneath the tree, but Isaiah liked to exaggerate. "Some of them were too big to fit under the tree; I wonder how Santa got them down the chimney?" He paused for dramatic effect. "Must be _magic._" Calleigh fought to stifle a giggle as Isaiah continued. "Because some of them are just _too_ big!"

"Uh-huh!" Avery chimed in suddenly, grinning brightly. She released her penguin long enough to hold out her arms descriptively. "One was _this_ big!" she chattered excitedly. "It was red and white and had a _big_ bow on it!" At that, she twisted in Eric's arms, turning her deep emerald eyes to him, her gaze expectant. "Can I have it, Daddy?"

Eric chuckled, leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "How do you know it's yours, sweetheart?"

Avery tilted her head, a slight pout already forming on her lips. "'Cause I want it?"

"Well," Eric laughed softly, gently ruffling Avery's curls, "we'll see in a little bit, okay? What else was down there?"

The diversion was successful, and Avery quickly launched into a long, energetic report of nearly every present that had been placed under the tree. Her descriptions were extremely animated, and Calleigh's smile stretched so widely that she almost felt that her cheeks might burst. Avery had been a quick talker, and it seemed that from the very first word she spoke – _ dada, _to the immense delight of Eric, she had yet to stop.

And it seemed she had no intention of stopping now, much to the chagrin of Isaiah. As Avery continued, it was clear to Calleigh that the little boy was growing antsy; his enthusiastic bouncing had become anxious fidgeting, and Calleigh reached out, gently ruffling his hair. Isaiah was always so patient with his sister, but sometimes, there was only so much he could take. "Avery," he groaned, drawing out the syllables of her name as she simply kept babbling, not even entirely about the presents anymore. "Don't you want to know what's _inside_ the presents?"

Avery's eyes suddenly lit up, but what Isaiah didn't know was that she hadn't latched onto the idea of opening presents – instead, the toddler's mind had only picked up on a single word – _want_. An excited smile on her face, Avery brought her penguin to her chest, squeezing it tightly. "I wanna see the pingins!_"_ she exclaimed, bouncing lightly in Eric's lap. "Pingins!"

Isaiah gave an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes in an almost perfect imitation of his mother – Calleigh couldn't help but chuckle. "Pen_guins_, Avery," he sighed, accenting the second syllable, the one that Avery still had difficulty with. Even though she was just three, this wasn't entirely acceptable to Isaiah, who was a bit of a perfectionist in his own right. It was clear that this exchange had taken place before, perhaps more than a few times. "Pen_guins_."

Avery pouted. "Pingins!_" _Before Isaiah could speak again, Avery turned once more to Eric, her emerald eyes bright. "We go see them?"

Eric blinked, his confusion evident. "Penguins, _querida_? he asked gently, his fingers lightly twirling her soft ringlets. Avery's fascination with penguins was nothing new, and both Eric and Calleigh could easily remember the similar phase Isaiah had gone through with dinosaurs. It had all started with a Saturday afternoon trip to the aquarium – Eric had always been fascinated with life under the sea; that was part of why he loved diving so much. And Isaiah had already voiced his desire to accompany Eric on one of his dives – only problem was that he was much too young right now, as Calleigh was consistently adamant about. The next best thing, Eric decided, was a trip to the aquarium.

Isaiah had been excited about everything, but when they'd finally made it to the penguin exhibit, Eric knew he'd never seen his daughter become so animated. Ever since that afternoon, the penguins had been at the very front of Avery's mind – she now had coloring books, toys, clothes, and countless other items she'd just had to have because they had penguins on them, including a now very well worn copy of Happy Feet. The singing and dancing penguins could occupy her for hours, and nothing was more adorable than watching her as she tapped her little feet on the carpet, balancing herself occasionally with a tiny hand on the coffee table.

Now, however, Eric still couldn't shake the confusion. Avery knew they weren't in Miami, knew that they couldn't go to the aquarium. He glanced quickly to Calleigh for help, only to find the same baffled expression in her eyes. They were saved though by Isaiah, who merely gave another quiet sigh of exasperation – his patience was quickly wearing thin; there were presents to be opened and talking about penguins wasn't his favorite pastime. And, as Avery's big brother, he certainly spent a lot of time doing that as it was. "I told you downstairs, Avery, there are no pen_guins_," he said, still emphasizing that second syllable.

Avery whipped her head around, her lower lip out in a very convincing pout. "You don't know!" Seeking confirmation, she turned back to Eric. "Pingins, right Daddy? They like white stuff."

It clicked for Calleigh first, and she gently nudged a still confused Eric in the side. "Snow, Eric," she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder.

And suddenly, it became apparent that Eric was going to have to say no to his daughter's most adorable pout, the one he could _never_ deny. "Avery…"

Avery's eyes widened, and Eric could detect the tiniest quiver at her lip – she knew that tone. "But at the 'quarum, the pingins were on white stuff. Now we got white stuff. I want pingins!"

"Avery," Isaiah chimed in, having sat himself down on the bed. "There are no penguins in the mountains." He glanced to Eric for verification. "Right, Daddy?"

Eric's heart broke when Avery turned her eyes back to him, and from the soft exhale at his left, he could tell that Calleigh's had done the same. "No pingins?" she asked, her voice small.

Calleigh reached out then, gently cupping Avery's cheek. "The white stuff is called snow, honey," she explained softly. "We don't get snow at all back home, and it only happens here a few times during the year. Penguins have to live where it's always cold and snowy."

"But I wanna see them…"

"Tell you what, _mi princesa,_" Eric suggested gently, drawing Avery's attention back to him. "As soon as we go home, I'll take you to see the penguins again, okay? And we can stay as long as you want."

Avery sniffed. "Promise?"

Eric's heart melted. "I promise." He glanced to his impatient son, smirking as he saw how hard Isaiah was trying to keep his edginess in check – Isaiah was smart, and he knew that patience often got him what he wanted more readily than whining. "For now, how about we go downstairs and see what Santa brought?"

Isaiah brightened immediately. "Yeah!" he exclaimed. "Can we? Please?"

Calleigh chuckled at the eager look in Isaiah's eyes. "I think Isaiah has been patient for long enough," she observed, playfully ruffling his hair again. "You wanna go open presents now?"

"Uh-huh!" Cheerful again, Isaiah leapt from the bed and bounded to the door, his face falling slightly as he looked back – the other three were still on the bed, moving much too slowly for him. He tapped his foot, the motion so like his mother that Eric couldn't help but give a snort of laughter.

Calleigh was next to stand, stretching lightly as she did so. "You ready for presents, Avery?" she asked, peering momentarily out the window with a smile. She loved seeing the snow on Christmas morning; it was just so very magical.

"P'esents!" Avery squealed, having seemingly forgotten all about the penguin debacle. Eric grinned, though, knowing that this was not so – he'd be hearing it again rather soon, he knew. "Open p'esents!"

Calleigh quickly slipped into her robe and slippers, shielding herself against the chill in the air. She glanced back to Eric with a grin. "You'd better get out of bed – your son is getting impatient," she teased, beginning to cross the room. She stopped in her tracks though as a small voice called out from behind her, immediately grabbing her attention.

As she turned back, her heart melted at the sight of Avery's outstretched hands, her tiny fingers flexing in the air as she reached for Calleigh. "Mommy!"

Eric grinned, watching as Calleigh made her way back to the bed. There'd once been a time when he'd wondered why Calleigh seemed so fascinated by the way he interacted with kids, but now, as he watched her with her own daughter, he understood completely. With careful arms, Calleigh scooped the little girl into her embrace, plush penguin and all. She snuggled against Calleigh, her dark blonde ringlets tickling her neck. It _was_ fascinating to watch, and Eric couldn't deny that the sight of his two favorite girls together was always enough to steal his heart.

That vision firmly implanted in his mind, Eric finally pulled himself from the bed with a smile on his face. And then, with Isaiah taking the lead, the four of them made their way downstairs to see just what Santa had left behind.

--

The sky above was still overcast and heavy with snow, but as she stared up into the endless grey, Calleigh smiled, knowing she had never felt happier. Presents had been opened and breakfast had quickly been eaten during the morning hours, and the afternoon had been spent having snowball fights and making snow angels. Calleigh sighed, laying on her back in the middle of one now, listening contentedly as Eric played with the kids, their combined laughter music to Calleigh's ears.

The occasional snowflake fell from the sky above, and Calleigh couldn't bring herself to brush away the ones that drifted onto her cheeks, lingering for a moment before melting from the heat of her flushed skin. No matter how many times she experienced this, Calleigh knew it would never get old – she was just as mesmerized as she'd been all those years ago. All that had changed was that her life had grown even more perfect since then.

She felt Eric drop into the snow beside her, and she turned her head toward him, a grin on her lips. "Havin' fun?" she drawled, her eyes sparkling.

Eric chuckled. "Those two sure know how to tire me out," he replied, smiling nonetheless. "I love it, though."

"Yeah," Calleigh murmured, turning her eyes back to the sky. "Me too." She reached a gloved hand out to him, lacing her fingers with his in the snow. "This is the best Christmas ever, you know…"

Again Eric chuckled, rolling onto his side beside of her. He gazed down at her, falling in love all over again with her emerald eyes and rosy cheeks. "You say that every year," he reminded her softly, brushing his nose against hers in a playful Eskimo kiss.

Calleigh grinned. "Well, every year is always better than the last. And next year," she paused, feeling Eric lay a hand instinctively atop her tummy, "will be even more perfect."

"What if it doesn't snow?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

"The snow is magical, but…" She lifted a hand to his cheek, her eyes never wavering from his. "But it's enough just to have you and the kids. That's all I really need."

At her heartfelt confession, Eric ducked his head, allowing their breaths to mingle in the minute space that separated them. "Me too," he breathed, setting Calleigh's heart fluttering in her chest. "Me too."

And as Isaiah instructed Avery in proper snowman building technique not too far away, Eric closed the distance between their lips, capturing hers in a slow, sensual kiss that warmed the both of them from the very depths of their hearts.

And from the overcast sky above, the snow finally began to fall in earnest, truly cementing that overwhelming sense of perfection.

**_-the end-  
-_**

* * *

_This one is dedicated to the fabulous Lemon Green, without whom this chapter would have likely never happened. Thank you so much for all the suggestions and the endless support; I truly owe you one. :)_

_To everyone else, those of you who have stuck with this from the beginning, those of you who always left such lovely reviews and even the occasional PM, and most especially those of you who pushed and pushed for me to finish this - I thank you all so much and I have the greatest gratitude to those of you who never lost interest, even when the story seemed to slow to a complete halt. To those of you who've been with this since the beginning, and to any new readers who jumped in along the way, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. :)_


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